THe whole verse is a plaine and familiar, but elegant Allegory, under which the Baptist set­teth forth unto us the Sove­raign Authority of Iesus Christ, with the Exercise of that Au­thority. His Authority, in the first words. Whose fanne is in his hand. The Exercise of that Authoritie in the sequell of the verse; which is set forth unto us, first, more Generally, over his whole Church; He will throughly purge his Floore. Then more Particularly, towards his Elect▪ by way of mercie, He will gather his wheat into his Garner. Towards Repro­bates and Ʋnbeleevers, by way of Judgement. Hee will burn up the Chaffe, &c.

It is the second of these that my eye is upon at the present, (having alreadie insisted upon the former) viz. the Exercise of Christs Soveraigne Authoritie in generall, [Page 2] over and upon his whole Church: He will throughly purge his Floore.

Here by way of Explication, and Illustration, two maine particulars are to be unfolded:

1. What is that Floore which Iesus Christ will Purge?

2. How that Floore of his shall be Purged. At this time of the first of these.

Christ▪ floore, vvhat? H [...] Floore.] To tell you what a Floore is, were needlesse, whe [...]her the House-Floore, or the Barne-Floore: Both well enough knowns. We have here to deale with the latter of these. [...], aream, the Barn-Floore: viz▪ the place where the Husb [...]n [...]an useth to Thresh, and Fanne, and Winnow his Corne.

Generally, this inferiour vvorld, vvhich is. I, bu [...] what is Christs Floore? An. The whole World, (say some) viz. this Inferiour World. And not unfitly may it be so called (saith Aretius.) A Floore, and Christs Floore.

1 Being first the Substratum, the lowest part of the A floore▪ being the pavement of Gods house.world. Such is a Floore, whether the Honse or Barne-floore, it is the lowest part of the roome, the Pave­ment: such is this in [...]eriour world wherein wee live, the Pavement of Gods house, or Barne. Adhasit Pav [...] ­mento, so the vulgar Latine readeth that of the Psalmist. Psa. 119. 25▪ My soule eleaveth to the dust, to the earth, to the Pavement. Compare the whole world to a House or Barne, Heaven is the Roo [...]e, Earth is the Floore, a Floore for scite and scituation.

2 Secondly, and principally, a Floore, and Christs Christs floore; vvhere he exer­ciseth divers pieces of his husbandry up on his corne. Floore, for the use that he puts it to, which is analogi­cally▪ by way of resemblan [...]e, the [...]ame with that which the Husbandman maketh of his floore. The Floore (as I told you) is the place where the husband­man exerciseth those peices of husbandrie upon his Corne; Threshing, Fanning, Winnowing it. Such a Floore is this present world. Palaestr [...] est i [...] quâ Chri­stus suos exer [...]t, saith Aretius. It is the place where­in Christ exerciseth his Church, and people with Af­fliction, [Page 3] Tribulation. In the world ye shall have Tribula­tion, Iohn 10. verse last.(saith our Saviour to his Disciple [...]) [...]. Pressuram habebiti [...]. Ye shall have Pressur [...]s, Tribula­tions, and that of divers kinds. To follow the Metaphor close. Here is Threshing, here is Fanning, here is Win­nowing, all to be met with in this Floore, this present world.

1 1. Threshing. In the Barne-floore, the Strawe and Threshing.the Corne, both are threshed together, and that with the same Flaile. In this present world, Gods owne People, and his Enemies both are Threshed. His Ene­mies, wicked and ungodly men, which are as the straw in this floore, they are threshed with plagues and judgements, which are the stroakes of Gods flaile, Isaiah 25. 10.of his revenging justice. Moab shall be threshed under him, even as the straw is threshed, (so the Geneva readeth that of the Prophet Isai.) Isaiah 25. Moab, all the Ene­mies of God and his Church, they are as Straw, and as Straw oft times they are threshed, even beaten to ple­ces. And as the Straw, so the Corne; as Gods Enemies, so his own people they also sometimes feele of the Flaile here: I the same flaile, being exercised with the same Iudgements, the same calamities, the same for kinde, for substance. Moab is threshed, and Israel is threshed. Isaiah 21. 10. O my Threshing! or Thou whom I doe thresh, saith the Lord, speaking of his owne people, his Israel, as some interpret it. Isaiah 21. 10. Them God thresheth oft­times with his owne hand; sometimes leaving them to Satan and his Instruments to be threshed by them, by the exercises of cruel [...]ie upon them. They have thresh­ed Amos 1. 3. Gilead with threshing instruments of iron, so the Prophet Amos complaineth of the horrid cruelties ex­ercised by bloody enemies upon the people of the Lord. Amos 1. 3. Well may this world bee called a Floore, here is Threshing. In the world ye shall have Tri­bulation, Threshing, as the word [Tribulation] properly signifieth.

[Page 4] 2 2. And secondly there is Fanning, and that with Fanning.the fanne, the Crosse, whereby God often scattereth Ie [...] 15. 7.his owne people to and fro upon the earth. I will fanne them with a fanne in (or through▪) the gates of the land. Vpon this I have insisted largely already in handling the former part of the verse.

3 3. And thirdly, here is winnowing too. God win­noweth Winnowing.his people. I will sift (or winnow) the house of Israel amongst, all nations like as corne is sifted (or win­nowed) with a sive. Amos 9. 9. God winnowes, and by his permission Satan winnows them. Simon, Simon, (saith our Saviour) Satan hath desired to have you to win­now you; or sift you. Luke 22. 31. God winnowes, and Satan winnowes, both by the winde of Tentations. God by Tentations of Probation, Satan by Tentations of Seduction; the one for the trying, purging; the other for the scattering, destroying of them. All these pieces of husbandrie doth this great Husbandman exer­cise in this inferiour world upon his Corne, his Church and people, and therefore well may it be called a floore, his floore.

Tribulations here not to bee vvondred at. A meditation not unusefull: Let it serve to stay the hearts of Gods people in respect of the many and mani­fold pressures and tribulations that here they meet with upon earth. Alas, can they looke for other, consider­ing the place and condition they are in? They are Gods Corne, I, but as yet they are as Corne in the floore. O my threshing (saith the Lord) and the Corne of my floore. Isaiah 21. 10. Filius Areae, so the originall He­brai [...]me hath it, The sonne of my floore. Gods people, his Saints, even whil'st they are here, they are sonnes. Behold, now are we the sonnes of God, saith S. Iohn 3. 2. Sonnes, but filij Areae, not Apothecae; sonnes, or corne of the floore, not of the Garner. Now corne, whil'st it is in the floore, it must looke for no quiet: that is reserved for the Garner. Gods Corne, his Saints, when they shall be laid up in his Garner, received into those heavenly [Page 5] mansions, then shall they enter into their rest, a perfect Heb 4. 9, 10.rest, where they shall never more feele of the flaile, or the fanne, or the sive. All these are for the Floore. And let not any wonder to meete with them there. Thinke it not strange concerning the fiery tryall, saith 1 Pet 4. 12.S. Peter: what ever our trials be, what for nature, what for number; are we threshed, fanned, winnowed, make not strange of it; remember the place where we are, and the condition we are in, whilest we are here below, we are like corne upon the floore. But I will not dwell here.

The floore shall be purged. This World is Christs Floore, and this floore he will purge, throughly purge. This will he doe at that last and great day, when he shall come from Heaven with the fanne in his hand, (the fanne of the last Judgement) then will he purge this inferiour World from all the drosse of corruption which now cleaveth to it, de­livering it from the bondage of corruption, to which it is now made subject through the sinne of Man, and under which it groaneth, as the Apostle hath it, Rom. 8. 21, 22. Then making a new Heaven, and a new Earth, Rev. 21. 1.a new roofe, and a new floore to this house of his. But to let this passe, not being the marke I aime at.

Christs floore, more specially is his Church visible. Aquin. ad lo­cum. By the Floore here, more properly and peculiarly we are to understand the Church. Not the World, but the Church in the world, that is, the floore; For (as Tho­mas well noteth it out of Chrysostome) if we will drive the Allegorie to the head, the World must be the wide field. So our Saviour interprets it, Mat. 13. 38. The field is the world.] The floore here properly is the Church of Christ in this world.

The Church. But what Church? why the visible Church of Christ upon earth. The visible Church; The visible Church what.what is that? A society, or company of men and women, called out of the world to the knowledge and acknowledge­ment of the true God in Christ. A company of men pro­fessing faith and obedience: faith in Christ, obedience to [Page 6] Christ: professing to receive Christ as their Prophet, Priest, King. Their Prophet, to be taught by him: their Priest to be reconciled to God through him: their King to be ruled and governed by him: This is the visible Church; which is either universall or par­ticular. Ʋniversall, the whole company of such as prefesse the Gospell throughout the whole world. Particular, such as professe the Gospell in such a Na­tion, such a Province, such a Citie, such a Towne, such a Family; Every of which in severall considerations and respects, may be called a Church. Not only the Church, in such a Family; (The Church that is in thine house, Philem. 2.) or the Church in such a Towne, such a City: (The Church at Corinth, at Philippi, &c.) But the Church in such a Province, such a Nation; wherein, though there may be many particular Con­gregations and Churches, yet they may be called one Church; and that not without some warrant from Scripture. S^t. Peter writing to the Churches disper­sed 1 Pet. 1. 1.through severall Countries, viz. through Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bythinia, (as the 1. vers. 1 Pet. 5. 2.of his Epistle directs it) he yet speaketh of them sin­gularly, calling them one flock: Feeds the flock of God which is amongst you; It is his charge to the Elders of those Churches, cap. 5. 2. many Churches, many flocks, and yet one flock: Not to goe from the Text. The Baptist here speaking of the Church of Christ, disper­sed through Judea and other parts of the world, the Church under the new Testament, which is made up of many particular Congregations and Churches; he yet speaketh of it singularly, calling it one floore, He will purge his floore.] Not floores, but floore. Where ever Christ hath a Church▪ he hath a floore. Many Churches, many floores: yet put them together, all the Churches in such a Province, such a Nation, or through the whole world, Collectively and Aggregatively con­sidered, they make up one Church, one floore. This I [Page 7] doe but touch by the way, to give some satisfaction to such as are so ready to scruple the word, as if there were no colour of warrant from Scripture, to give the Name of a Church to any but to a Congregationall Church. Letting that passe.

Christs floore is his Church, or Churches, considered in a visible State. And not unfitly may the visible Church be so called. A floore, and his floore. Touch upon them severally.

The visible Church a Floore. First, A floore, and that principally in two respects.

1. In respect of the Mixture that is in it. Here is the difference betwixt the Garner and the Floore. In the Garner there is nothing but pure graine: In the 1 For mixture of Corne and Chaffe. Floore there is a mixture; Straw as well as Corne, Chaffe as well as Wheate, Tar [...]s and Titters, and Cockle and Darnill, as well as the good graine. Such a difference there is betwixt the Church Mili­tant and Triumphant, the Church upon Earth, and the Church in Heaven. The Church in Heaven is all pure: Thither shall no un [...]lean [...] thing enter. No chaffe, no drosse, Rev. 21. v. last.nothing but good and pure corne to be found in that garner. But it is otherwise in the floore, in the mili­tant and visible Church upon Earth, here is a mixture, Corne and chaffe, good and bad together; Elect and Reprobate, true Believers, Hypocrites, and happily persons openly wicked, all associated together in the same outward profession. A truth which needeth no probation. This is the House wherein there are ves­sels of all sorts, some of purer, richer, others of courser, baser mettall. In a great House (saith the Apostle) 2 Tim. 2. 10. there are not only vessels of Gold and of Silver, but also of wood and of earth; some to honour, and some to dishonour.] A place worthy the pawsing on, and considering. Haply it may give satisfaction to some groundlesse scandals and offences taken by some at those undesired, deplored mixtures which are to be found in the Churches of God amongst us. In a great House (saith [Page 8] he.) What is meant by this great House? why the whole World (say some) which is Gods House indeed, he being the God and Father of all the Families in Hea­ven and earth; Gods House, and his Great House; And in this great House there are vessels of Gold and of Silver, and of wood and of Earth, some to honour some to disho­nour, (i. e.) some elected, others reprobated and passed by. So the Apostle S. Paul carrieth and applies it, ex­tending it to the whole world, Rom. 9. 21. A truth, but not so pertinent to this place. The Great House here (as Calvin and others note upon it) denotes and points out more peculiarly the Church of God, the visible Church. So much may be collected from the Context. The Church visible is a House, Gods 1 Tim. 3▪ 15. House, (That thou mightest know how to behave thy selfe in the House of God, which is the Church of the li­ving God, (saith Paul to Timothy.) His House, and a Great House, [...], the House of the Great God, the Father of this Family, of a great and large Gal 6. 10.extent; and having many Inhabitants, Officers, Chil­dren, Servants, even all those domestici fidei, the house­hold of Faith, as the Apostle calleth them. And in this great House (saith the Apostle) there are not on­ly vessels of Gold and Silver, but of wood and of earth, i. e. some elect, others reprobates: Not only so, but some good, others bad; bad, and that oft-times not only closely and secretly, but openly and apparently such. Not only hypocriticall and unsound, but scandalous Christians. Such were those whom the Apostle spea­keth ver. 16. ver. 17.of in the verses fore-going: Prophane and vaine bablers; men whose words did fret as a canker, or cancer, whose very society was infectious and dangerous. Two of these he there instanceth in, by Name. Of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus.] two dangerous and damnable Hereticks, denying and overthrowing that great Article of the Faith, the Resurrection of the Dead; which being overthrowne, opens a wide [Page 9] doore to all lie [...]ntiousnesse and pro [...]anenesse. Such were these, and probably some other members of that Church at that time; persons scandalous and dan­gerous, seduced themselves, and seducing others. Such vessels there were in that house, wooden and earthen ves­sels; vessels to dishonour, [...] to dishonour, and that both Passively and Actively, having dishonour and shame for their portion, and dishonouring the house, the Church of God whereof they were, members. Such vessels, such members, there may be and oft are in the House, in the Church of God; persons erroneous in their judgement, and scandalous in their lives. Such there may be.

So it is, de Fa­cto, not de Ju­re. Mistake it not: We speake here de Facto, not de Ju­re, not what ought to be; but what may be, and will be. If we speake de Jure, [...]s it ought to be, then that of the Apostle in the words f [...]re going, takes place. Let every one that calleth on the Name of the Lord depart ver. 19. from iniquity.] Every one that joyneth himselfe to the Church of God, that taketh upon him the profession of Christianity, he ought to grace his profession by an answerable conversation. In Solomons Temple the 1 King. 7. 49, 50. vessels were all of pure Gold, and such should the members of the Church of Christ be. Thus it should be, But thus it will not be. Some there are and will be, that shame their profession by an unchristian con­versation Vessels to dishonour. Neither is it a thing either to be stumbled or wondered at. Such vessels there are in a great House, and such members there will be in the visible Church, which is a mixed company.

This point I might further inlarge, and set of by those common and obvious illustrations made use of by our Saviour himselfe; of the draw or drag Net, Mat▪ 13. 47.wherein there are fishes of all sorts, good and bad. The ver. 30. Field wherein there was Tares, as well as Wheate. The wedding supper whereat there were guests of all sorts, good and bad (saith the Text.) But I will not, neither Mat. 22. 10. [Page 10] need I goe from that Metaphor in the Text, which is so cleare and expresse, as that scarce an Expositor falls upon it, but meeteth with this truth in it: The Church, the visible Church is a mixed company. Such is the floore, a place of mixture, wherein there is (as I said) Corne and Straw, Wheat and Chaff, &c. all brought in together. Such is the Church. Such it ever hath beene, and such it ever will be, as long as the 2 Pet. 2. 13. Iude 12. Moone hath her spots, the Church will have hers; even such spots as Peter and Jude speaketh of, persons scandalous in their lives, disgracing the Church as spots doe the garment wherein they are.

Reason. God will have it so. And will you see some Reason why it is so: Take it in a word. God will have it so, and Satan will have 1 it so.

For the Tryall▪ 1 Cor. 11. 19. 1. God will have it so, and that first, For the tryall of his own people. It is that which S. Paul saith of he­resies, There must be heresies, why? That those which are approved may be made manifest. And we may say the same of Hereticks and scandalous persons, There must be such in the Church, (I speake it as the Apo­stle, de Facto) that those which are [...], approved of God, may be made manifest, more manifest to the world.

2 2. And secondly God doth it, (permits it) as for For the benefit of his people.the tryall, so for the good and benefit of his own people. Even as the Husbandman sometimes suffers the Corne to lye in the Chaffe, that it may keepe the better. And such use God sometimes makes of hypocrites, of wic­ked and ungodly men, whom hee suffers to have a Name, and a Roome in his Church, he maketh use of them for the good and benefit of his own people: oft­times using them as Conduit pipes, conveying many outward blessings and benefits to his Church through 2 their hands, tending to the outward preservation of it.

Satanwill have it so. Thus God will have it so. And secondly Satan will have it so. That E [...]viou [...] man in the Gospell, which soweth [Page 11] Tares in the field, he also casteth Chaffe into the floore. Mat. 13. 25.Which he doth through the inadver [...]ancie of those which should watch this floore, I meane those which have, or should have the oversight and government of the Church; Hereby seeking to poyson the Church, by throwing in corruptions into it: corruptions in Doctrine, corruptions in Worship, corruptions in Man­ners; so to make a mixture, which he doth in oppo­sition unto that God, who being himselfe a pure and simple Essence, is most delighted in purity and simpli­city. Put these together, and you see a first respect wherein the visible Church of Christ is compared to a floore. A floore for mixture.

Secondly, A floore, Because here is the same Husban­dry used that is in the Barne-floore. Here is threshing, 2 here is fanning, here is winnowing. All these shall we The Church a floore, for the Husbandry u­sed in it.find no where more frequent, more ordinary then in the Church; as if the Church were the proper ele­ment for every of these. The Church is Christs thre­shing place. O my threshing▪] his fanning place, his winnowing place. No where shall we find the flaile, Isa. 21. 10.the fanne, the sive, more bu [...] then here. The Worlds flayle, Gods fanne, the Devils sive; the flayle of Perfe­cution, the fanne of Affliction, the sive of Tentation, no where so busie as in the Church. Well may the Church in all these respects, be called a floore. But I will confine my selfe to the Text.

Here is the fanne at worke. What fanne? why that fanne, which is in the hand of Christ, the fanne of the Here the fanne of the Word at worke.word. This fanne is walking, and working in this floore, and not without some efficacie and power. What ever the Husbandmans fanne doth in his Barne-floore, that doth this fanne in the Church, which is the proper place for this fanne to stirre and move in; and in that respect againe, fitly called a floore. Here it is where Christ standeth with the fanne in his hand, working upon his corne, his Elect, severing them from [Page 12] the chaffe of sinnefull corruption, dressing them, that they may be pure corne, fit to be laid up in his heavenly garner.

The Church is a floore. And in the second place Christs 2 floore. The visible Church is Christs floore. His, first, by The Church Christs floore.Guift. Secondly, His, by Purchase.

1 1. His by Guift: Guift from God his Father, who By Donation.hath indeed given unto him the whole world. Aske of mee, and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine Inheri­tance, Psalm. 2. 8. and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy Posses­sion.] All the Kingdomes of the earth are put into the hands of Jesus Christ, as Lord paramonnt over them all. Even Heathens and Infidels, which know him not, which never heard of his Name, yet they are under his governement; But the Church after a more speciall ver. 6.manner, as being his peculiar Seigni [...]rie. I have s [...]t my King upon my holy hill of Sion.] In the Church, Christ hath a more peculiar interest; The Church it selfe, and all the members of it being given to him by God his Father: I, all the members of the visible Iosh. 17. 12.Church, they are also given unto Christ. Of all that thou hast given me I have lost none, save the Sonne of Perdi­tion.] All the Apostles; I, Judas amongst the rest, though a son of perdition, lost in Gods decree, and mar­ked out for hell, yet given unto Christ to follow him in an outward profession. And thus are all the mem­bers of the visible Church; even all that professe the Name of Christ, they are given unto Christ. And con­sequently the Church is His, his floore, His by Do­nation.

2 And secondly, His by Purchase. What his Father By Purchase. [...] Sam. 24.gave him, he also bought and purchased. Even as David purchased the Threshing-floore of Araunah the Jebusite, that he might offer a Sacrifice upon it. Thus Christ hath purchased this floore, his Church; not that he might offer Sacrifice upon it, but that he might offer it up as a Sacrifice unto God his Father. Take heede [Page 13] unto your selves, and to the flock of God: whereof the Holy Act. 20. 18. Ghost hath made you overseers, to feede the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood: The Church purchased with the blood of Christ. True it is, (if we speake properly,) this purchase is peculiar unto Gods elect, his Church invisible, for whose sake Christ dyed: But for their sakes, (from whom the Church taketh the denomination, as being the better and most considerable part of it) it is attributed to the whole Church, even to the Church visible. It is his floore by purchase.

Yet further in the third and fourth place, It is his floore in respect of his presence, his providence: His pre­sence in it, his providence over it.

In regard of his presence in it, Ruth. 3. 7. His presence in it, which is continuall. The Story tel­leth us of Boaz, that he went downe to his floore and lodged there, lying downe at the end of the heape of Corne. Even [...]o is Christ ever present in his Church. There he lyeth downe, there he lodgeth. [Shew me, O thou Cant▪ 1. 6. whom my soule loveth, where thou feedest, where thou lyest downe at noone;] It is the Spouses speech to her wel­beloved; to which his answer followes. [If thou ver. 7. knowest not O thou fairest among women, get thee forth by the steps of the flock, and feede thy Kids by the Tents of the Shepheards.] Would we know where Christ fee­deth, lodgeth, where he manifesteth his presence chiefely and principally upon earth; It is in his flock, by the Tents of the Shepheards; In his Church, in the midst of his Ordinances, Christ is ever present in this floore, manifesting his presence in it.

And fourthly, Exercising his providence over it. His 4 providence, first in watching, then in governing. Providence o­ver it, in Watching the Corne.

1. Watching in and over this floore. To this end, Boaz lay downe in his floore, at the end of the heape of corne, to watch it, least it should be stroyed, or stolne, or purloy­ned away. To this end is Christ present in his Church, his floore, viz. to watch his corne in it; to de­fend [Page 14] his people against enemies without, or enemies within: to defend his Church against the open hosti­lity of bloody tyrants and persecutors, Beasts which would stroy this corne; as also against the secret de­vices of cunning seducers, Theeves that would st [...]ale Mat. 24. 24.away his corne, deceiving the very Elect if it were pos­sible. To this end he watcheth in this floore; wat­cheth, and that, not as Boaz did in his, lying downe Psal. 121. 4.and sleeping there. No, The watchman of Israel neither slumbereth nor sleepeth. He exerciseth a speciall provi­dence Ordering the businesse in it.in watching over this floore.

2. And secondly, In ruling and governing it, orde­ring all the businesses in it. Even as the Husbandman ordereth all the businesse in his own floore, giving di­rection to his servants, for threshing, fanning, &c. So hath Christ the ordering of this floore. Not an Or­dinance in his Church, but is of his ordering and ap­pointing. He it is that ruleth the whole businesse of his Church, both for substance, and materiall circum­stances; prescribing Lawes to his Church, governing it, which he doth by his word.

Put these together, and you see the doctrinall part of this first Branch of the Text, opened and illustrated. I see, I must wade no further into it at present. What use shall we make of this which hath been spoken?

Ʋse 1. Anabaptists con [...]uted. As briefely as I may. First, Is the Church of Christ a floore in respect of mixture? Here, (swimming with the streame of Expositors,) I might take a just occ [...] ­sion to fall upon that Anabaptisticall errour wherever it is found, which affirmes and maintaines the true vi­sible Church, to consist only of true believers, such as are good. A doctrine charged upon us by our Adversa­ries of Rhemes, in their Glosse upon the Text; but with what truth, let the joint consent of all the writers Vid F [...]lk and [...]rtvvright, super Text.of our profession testifie, all which with one vote have censured, and condemned the Tenet, upon all oc­casions averring and maintaining the visible Church [Page 15] of Christ to be a mixed company, mingled of good and bad, believers, hypocrites, &c. Such a company the Church here is. As for those who seeke for any other Church▪ here upon earth, they seeke for that which they shall never find. Mundam in mundo immundo Ec­clesiam, (saith Aretius.) A pure Church in an impure world. Those which will joyne themselves to no Church but such an one, they must, (as the Apostle saith,) goe out of the world for it. But I will not spend 1 Cor. 5. 10.time in confuting of this Errour, which I presume there is none here present that will dare to owne. To come nearer.

Ʋse 2. Be not offended at mixtures in the Church a­mongst us. In the second place. Is the Church of Christ a floore in respect of mixture? why then let not any be scandalized, or offended at what ever mixtures, either are, or are supposed to be in the Church or Churches of God amongst us. Mixtures happily there may be; mixtures there are; we grant it. Possible some cor­ruptions cleaving to some of the Ordinances; How­ever corrupt men mingling themselves with the people of God, not only coming with them into the house of God, but si [...]ing downe with them [...]t his Table, ha­ving communion with them in the most sacred ordi­nances of God. A sad mixture, I pleade not for it. B [...]t what? shall we hence inferre a nulliti [...] of the Church? No true Church because o [...] these mixtures? Surely the very Barne-floore will cry out against this inference. There we see wheate and chaffe lying upon the same heape, and who wonders at it [...] Doe we mee [...]e with a li [...]e mixture in the Church or Churches of God, be not [...]andalized, be not o [...]ded at it▪ I [...] i [...] that (I nonceive) which the Apostle [...] aimes and drives at in the place fore▪named, a Tim. 2. to take off that scandall which any might take at scandalous Apo­ [...]at [...], persons openly wicked in the Church.

Mixtures not pleaded for▪ Here let me not be mistaken (a thing which we are very [...] to in poin [...] of the nature.) It is [Page 16] far from my purpose to patronize what ever mint [...]res in the Church of God, to plead either for Admission or Toleration of persons openly prophane and sean­dalous; their Admission into the Church, their Tolera­tion in the Church: Much lesse for the promiscuous resorting of all sorts of persons to the Lords Table, without any regard had to their q [...]alific [...]tions or con­versations. An errour I confesse, which, till it may be re­dressed, I shall mourne over; wishing that all this 1 Cor. 5. 7. Leaven were purged out▪ and this floore of Christ a­mongst us throughly purged from the chaffe and drosse of what ever corruption is yet remaining in it. But in the meane time, though I plead not for mixtures, yet But the Church.let me plead for the Church, that Church whereof God hath made me a member and a Minister, which all the mixtures that are in it, cannot Ʋnchurch, make to be no Church; or yet warrant a separation from.

The Church of the Jewes, at this time, when the Bap­tist preached to them, it was (I suppose) in as corrup­ted, nay a far more corrupted state then the Church of England at this day is, or ever yet was since the first Reformation of it. How was that floore all covered with chaffe? How many foule corruptions had even overspread the face of that Church? Humane Inven­tions, and Traditions being brought in, even to the thru­sting out of the Ordinances of God. Ceremonies ea­ting out the heart, the power and substance of Religion. Those which sate in Moses his chaire, as vile as could be imagined: A generation of vipers. Such were their Mat. 23. 16. ver. 3. Ioh. 11. 49. Hose. 4. 9. teachers and Church-governours, Blind guides, having a corrupt and unlawfull entrance into their calling, and demeaning themselves as corruptly in it; and, no question, like Priests, like people. The state of that Church most corrupt; little else but chaffe to be seene in that floore; yet for all that, a floore still; So the Baptist here calleth it, telling them that Christ would purge that floore of his. Purge it, not presently [Page 17] leave it, cast it off, or else breake it up, (as some hot spi­rits would doe at this day; who because of the chaffe that is in it, would presently be breaking up the floores; For some supposed corruptions in the Church, presently un­church it; a matter of a higher nature then many in this last age have taken it to be. Not so) but purge it, purge it, So will Christ deale with his floore, hee will throughly purge his floore.

Object. The Church of Engl [...]n [...] a true Church. True may some say: If it were a floore of Christ, then it ought not to be broken up; if a true Church, then purging would serve the turne. But such is not the Church of England, such are not the Churches in Eng­land. And why not? why they faile in constitution, which is a fundamentall errour. They are not rightly constituted. And why not? Because the members of them were not rightly gathered, nor yet knit and joyned together in the formality of a Church Covenant. Even as if one should reason after this manner; It is the same man, though in other cloathes; the same argument though in different expressions. The Corne was not brought in at the right doore, or the floore is not a boar­ded floore; or at least the boards were not joynted and fastened together, not right layed at the first; but either it is a Clay floore, or else the boards are layed loose and warping; therefore it is no floore, no true floore. The ab­surdity of the one will sufficiently discover the weake­nesse and inconsequence of the other.

Quest. Answ. A [...] Church how known. But how then shall we know a true Church if we see it? A. Why even as we may doe a true floore, I will not goe out of the Text for a demonstration. Where the fanne is ordinarily at worke, there is the floore; and where Christs fanne is ordinarily at worke, there is his floore, his Church; What this fanne is, I have told you already▪ the fanne of the Word, the word preached. This is the fanne which the Baptist here principally speaketh of, the fanne of the word, which is in the hand of Christ, both in respect of liberty and efficacie (as I have shewen you.) Now [Page 18] where this fanne is ordinarily at worke, where the word is ordinarily preached and dispensed in the publick mi­nistery of it, especially if it be with efficacie and pow­er, certainely there Christ hath a Floore, a Church. Now this I think will not be denied, but that this fanne hath been at worke in the Churches of Christ amongst us, and that with such efficacie and power, as no where more. Strange, that any should question whether Christ have a floore, a Church amongst us or no.

Object. But it may be said, the Fanne may worke out of the floore, sometimes in other corners of the Barne, and sometimes abroad in the open field. And thus (say our ad­versaries of the Seperation,) the word may be, and often is preached, where there is no true Church. Paul prea­ched Acts 17. 16.the word to the scoffing Athenians (say they) who yet were no true Church.

Answ. The ordinary and setle sprea­ching of the Word a note of a true Church. To this Evasion I have insinuated an answer already, in that I said, not the Preaching, but the ordinary Prea­ching of the word, is an effentiall marke and note of a true Church. The word may be preached two wayes. Either Occasionally, or Ordinarily in a setled way. Now, in the former way it may be preached to Heathens and Infidels, where there is no more but the Passive Ca­pacity of a Church. It is the latter of these that we conclude to be an evidence of a true Church, viz. the setled preaching of the word amongst a people that professe subjection to it. Where the fanne is constantly at worke, day after day, and weeke after weeke, who questions but there is a floore? Where the word is preached in a fetled way, day after day, weeke after weeke, yeare after yeare, to a people professing subjection and obe­dience, and not without power and efficacy, (especially being attended and accompanied with the S [...]ales of the Covenant, the Sacraments, for substance rightly admi­nistred) surely it cannot be denied but that there is a Church, a true Church. And this is it we say for the Church of England, or Churches in England, (for I am [Page 19] not curious or scrup [...]lous about the word.) In this floore Christs fanne hath beene stirring, and that lively; his Gospell hath beene preached, and that powerfully, succe [...]sefully▪ and that for more then a whole age to­gether. How much Corne is now layed up in Gods Garner, which this Fanne hath dressed in this Floore? How many blessed soules now triumphing in Heaven, which were here gained and brought home unto Christ, by the ministery of the word in this Church? And shall we yet question, whether it be a true floore or no, upon a bare supposall that the Corne was not brought in at the right doone, or that the boards were not layed right at the first? whether a true Church or no, be­cause of some supposed failings in the first constitution? The Argument happily is displeasing to some of you. Let me tell you, it is not pleasing to my selfe. Had I not met with it so full, that I could not baulke it with­out manifest injury to the Text, and to sleighting of the generall current of Expositors writing upon it, (whose company I shall ever make much of,) I would not have fallen with it at present.

Ʋse 3. Comfort, Christ will have an eye to this his Floore. A word or two more (to sweeten your pallates) and I have done. Is the Church Christs floore? here is Comfort to the Church, and to all that wish well to it. The Church being his floore, he will have an eye to it. So will a faithfull servant have to his Masters floore, he will have an eye to it, that the Corne shall not be either stollen or ftroyed. Such a faithfull servant will Christ approve himselfe unto God his Father. Moses was Heb. 3. 2. faithfull in all Gods House, and Christ will be faithfull in his Floore, in looking to his Corne, that it be not stroyed. Threshed, fanned, winnowed it may be, but stroy­ed it shall not be. Not a Graine of Wheate shall mis­carry in this Floore. Expresse and emphaticall is that of the Prophet Amos, in the place fore-named. I will sift the house of Israel amongst all Nations, like as Corne Amos 9. 9. is sifted in a five, yet shall not the least graine fall upon the [Page 20] earth.] Marke it, Gods Corne may be sifted, winnowed, but not a graine of it shall fall to the earth; If Wheate, it shall not be stroyed: Why? Christ will have an eye to this floore, to his Church: not any true member of it Ioh. 6. 39.shall perish or miscarry. Of all that his Father hath given him he will loose nothing.

Ʋse. Exhortation, Let Christ have the ordering of it. A word of Exhortation, and but a word. Is the Church Christs floore, let him have the ordering of it, and of all businesses in it. This priviledge we will allow the Husbandman, to order the businesse in his own floore. Let Christ doe as much in his Church, in ordering all the publick Ordinances in it. And who but he should doe it? It being his floore, over which he hath an abso­lute Soveraignty. So much for this time.

WE have here set forth (as you heard the last day) the Exercise of the So­veraigne Authority of Jesus Christ over and upon his Church. His Church; that is here meant by the Floore; the visible Church of Christ: which in what re­spects it is called a floore, and His floore, I then shewed you. Not to looke backe: Come we now to the se­cond particular, to see what shall be done to this floore. It shall be purged, (saith the Text,) throughly purged. He will throughly purge his Floore.]

Ban [...], Epist. 24 Purge it, Not cast it off, not breake it up. I like not that Surgerie (saith one of our late Worthies) which up­on every aylement dismembreth and cutteth of. I know not who would like that Husbandry, which because of some chaffe in the floore, would presently breake it up. Not so; purge it, purge it. This is Christs way, let it be Doct▪ [...]hrists Floore, his Church shall be purged, and that throughly.ours.

He will throughly purge his Floore.] The Church then shall be purged, throughly purged.] This is that which the Lord promiseth to the Church of the Jewes, Isa. 1. [Page 22] Isa. 1. 25. I will purely purge away thy drosse.] What ever it was that defiled or imbased that Church, she should be purged from it, and purely, throughly purged. This promise he will make good to his Church under the Gospell. It shall be purged, throughly purged.

Purged. Purged.] What shall it be purged from? Who shall purge it? When shall he purge it? By what [...]eans shall he purge it? And wherefore will he so purge it? En­quire we into every of these five particulars, by way of Explication and Illustration. To most of them (to the foure first) we shall find an answer in the Text. Begin with the first.

Quest. 1. From what shall it be pur­ged? Answ. From the chaff, viz Corrupt men & corrup­tions. From what shall this floore be purged? The Text it selfe insinuates the answer; from the Chaffe that is in it. He will purge h [...] floore, and will burne the chaffe.] First, purge it out, cast it out of the floore, then burne it. And from this shall the visible Church of Christ be purged; from the chaffe that is in it. What chaffe? Take the word as we will▪ understanding by it, either corrupt persons, or corruptions themselves: Both, in the phras and lan­guage of Scripture, knowne by the name of chaffe. Cor­rupt and wicked men, they are chaffe; The ungodly are like the chaffe] saith the Psalmist. Chaffe for their vile­nesse, Psal 1. penult. Ier. 23. 28. barrennesse, inconstancy &c. As corrupt men, so corruptions. What is the chaffe to the wheat? saith the Lord, Jer. 23. Gods truth [...]s as wheat, sound and solid: False Doctrines are as chaffe. Such are corruptions in Doctrine▪ and such are corruptions in worship; and such are corruptions in Discipline, all as chaffe, that will not endure the Fanne of the word. And from this chaffe shall this floore of Christ, the Church, be purged, viz. both from corrupt men, and from corruptions them­selves. 1

From corrupt men. 1. Corrupt, wicked men, Hypocrites and others▪ they are in the Church, as ill humours in the body. In the bo­dy, but not of it. Joyning themselves to the mysticall body of Christ, but no true Members of it. And being [Page 23] such, they shall be purged out. Wicked men, Hypo­crites and others, they are as Drosse and Tinne, mixed with the good and pure mettall; and being such, they shall be purged out. I will purge away thy drosse (saith Isa. 1. 26▪the Lord;) amongst other, her corrupt Judges and Coun­cellours, which should be taken away. Wicked men, they are the Goates, which now flock and feed toge­ther Mat. 25. 32, 33.with the Sheepe: Joyning themselves unto the people of God, and having communion with them in many, it may be in all the publike ordinances of God. They are the Tares, which grow up together with the Mat. 13 38. wheat in the same field. They are the chaffe, which cleaving close to the Corne, lyeth with it upon the same Goaffe, upon the same heape. Being so, they shall be severed, they shall be weeded, purged out. Rev. 21. ult.The Church shall be purged from corrupt men.

2. And secondly, from Corruptions themselves. Cor­ruptions 2 there are and will be, creeping in and cleaving Corruptions.to the state of the visible Church or Churches of Christ upon Earth. Corruptions, not only in manners, which are personall; but corruptions in Doctrine, corruptions in worship, corruptions in Discipline. Church-corrupti­ons. Now from all these shall the Church be purged. Isa. 1▪ I will take away [all] your Tinne.] What ever it was that corrupted the state of that Church. This will Christ doe for his Church under the Gospell. He will purge away all her Drosse, all her corruptions, be they (as I said) in manners, Doctrine, worship. Expresse and full is that of the Prophet Ezekiel, Ezek. 36. 25. From all your filthinesse, and from all your Idols will I cleanse you, saith the Lord. Cleanse them from their filthinesse, from corruptions in manners, [...]hose spirituall pollutions and defilements: From their I dols, all corruptions in Do­ctrine, in worship. And let me adde also, corruptions in Discipline too. It is the Lords promise to the Church of the Jewes, in that place fore-named, Isa. 1. 26. I Isa. 1. 2 [...]. will purge [...]ay thy [...]rassv, &c. And I will restore thy Iud­ges [Page 22] [...] [Page 23] [...] [Page 24] as at the first, and thy Counsellours as at the beginning.] And this will Christ doe for his Church under the Gos­pell. He will restore her Judges, as at the first, and her Counsellours, as at the beginning. Restoring his Church to Primitive Order and Discipline, purging out what e­ver corruptions are in this respect crept into it. All this without question shall be done; the Church shall be purged.

Throughly pur­ged. And throughly purged, [...], perpurgabit: Thus did Christ purge the Temple in the dayes of his flesh: he made a thorough sweepage, driving out all the buyers Mat. 21. 12. and sellers, &c. And thus will he purge his Church: Isa. 1. 25. [...], He will throughly purge it. Purge out All corrupt men, and All corruptions. I will purely purge, &c.] Repurgabo ut purificationem (so Montanus ren­ders the place) I will diligently and throughly purge thee, as the Fornace or fining pot doth the silver. This is that which the Prophet Malachi tels the Church, Mal. 3. where prosecuting the same Allegory, he sets forth the sedulity and exactnesse of Christ in this purging of his Mal. 3. 3.Church. He shall sit downe to try and to fine the silver; hee shall even fine the sonnes of Levi, and purifie them as gold and silver.] Marke it; full expressions. Christ shall purge and purifie his Church; and this he shall do, both diligently and throughly. Diligently, not cursorily. He shall [sit downe] to try, &c.] As a man that intends a worke seriously, he sitteth downe to it. Throughly he shall try and fine and purifie, &c. The Prophet multiplieth words, heaps up expressions, all to intimate the through­nes, the perfectnes of this work.

Gods way per­fect. Ps. 18. 30. Gods works, they are all perfect works. As for God his way is perfect, Psal. 18.] Such they either are, or such they shall be before he leave them. Such was his worke of Creation, perfect at the first. Every thing which he had made was very good, i. e. perfect. Such shall his worke of new Creation be, the worke of Rege­neration; Gen. 1. last.though imperfect at the first, yet before hee [Page 25] leave it, it shall be perfect, He who bath begun [...] good Phil▪ 1 6. worke in you▪ will perfect it▪ saith Paul to his Phili [...]pians. The new▪ birth, though at the first [...]n [...] yet it shall Eph. 4. 13.grow to a perfect man. This will Christ doe▪ as for eve­ry true member of his Church (The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me, saith th [...] Psalmist▪ Psal. 1 [...]8. last▪) so for the Church it selfe. The [...]w Heaven and th [...] [...] Isa. 65. 17. Earth shall be as perfect, as the old ever was. He that hath begun the good worke of restoring, purging his Church, will also perfect it▪ he will purge it▪ throughly purge it.

Quest. 2. Who will purge it? viz▪ Christ. He will doe it. Who? Why, that shall the Lord Je­sus Christ. There have you the answer to the second enquiry, which I am fallen upon unawares. [He] shall throughly purge his floore, saith the Baptist. The floore is His, as I have showen you; and being so▪ he will take care, as for other things▪ so for the purning of it. To this end, God the Father (the great Husbandman) Ioh. 1 [...]. 1. Isa. 53. 1 [...].hath put the Fanne into the hand of this his Servant, that he should dresse his Corne, purge his floore. To this on [...] Mat. 28. 18.amongst other, hath he given all Power and Authori [...]y to him, as over the whole world, so▪over his Church after a speciall manner, that he should purge it. And this he will doe, which is properly his worke. He is like a purging fire, and like Fullers soape, saith the Prophet Mal. 3. 3. Malachi, speaking of Christ▪ Mal▪ 3. 3. He shall sit downe to try, &c.] He shall make it his worke to purge the Church.

None but hecan doe it. And indeed, who but he should doe it? I, who but he can doe it? The purging of the Church is a great worke. So was the purging of the Temple, a greater worke then it is ordinarily apprehended. Temple purgati [...] maximum The through purging of the Church a great worke. miraculum, saith the Father. The purging of the Tem­ple it was one of the greatest miracles that ever Christ did in the dayes of his [...]lesh. That a private person (so he was then accounted and taken to be) nay a despica­ble person of so inferiour a ranke, the Sonne of a Carpen­ter Hieron. [Page 26] should come into the Temple with a whip in his hand (as despicable an instrument, rather to be scorned then feared) and therewith should drive out all those (no petty chap men) Drovers and Bankers (notwith­standing all their priviledges and protections, which they had from the Masters of the Temple, the chiefe-Priests, &c.) as so many sheepe before him, without opposition, without contradiction; what a worke? Well may we say of it, as Paul doth of the resurrection Rom. 1. 4.of Christ from the dead; Hereby he declared himselfe to be the Sonne of God, and that [...], with power migh­tily. Whether there were at that time any Radij clarita­tis, Rayes and beames of splendour and glory, shining in, and st [...]eaming from the face and countenance of our blessed Saviour, striking an awfull dread and terrour in­to the beholders or no? I leave it as I find it, an uncer­taine tradition or conjecture, which may as safely or Dionis. Cart has. in 2 Joh.more safely be rejected then beleeved. (Non creditur quia non legitur.) But this we may say, and make it good; here were Radij divinitatis, rayes and beames of Divinity, a divine power put forth and manifested in this act. The like we may say of this great worke, the worke of Church-Reformation. To purge the Church, and that throughly, from all corrupt persons and corruptions. What a work?

To purge it from all corrup­tions. Act. 1 [...]. 29. To purge it from all corruptions. You heard in the Chapter read even now, what a stir, what a tumult there was at Ephesus, when once the great Goddesse Diana was but supposed to be touched. What a dust it raised? The whole City was in a confusion. Now how many Diana's are there to be found in the Christian world? Personall-Diana's and Church-Diana's? All these must be, not only touched▪ but pulled downe and purged out. And what hand, but a mighty, an almighty hand shall be able to effect this, even the hand of Jesus Christ.

From all cor­rupt persons. Againe, To purge and cast out all corrupt men out of [Page 27] the Church, what a worke? a great worke first to dis­cover them, to find them out; when once discovered, a greater worke to cast them out. And who but Christ can doe either of these? Who but he can discover them? Some so close, so secret and hidden, that their owne hearts doe not discover them; much lesse can others. Who shall doe it, but he that is [...], he that knoweth and searcheth the hearts, to whom all things Heb. 4. 13. Specially the casting out of Antichrist.are [...], nacked and open? And who but he can cast them out being discovered? That man of sinne, that Antichrist of Rome, long since discovered to be (as the Father said of Marcian the Heretick) Primo­genitns Diaboli, the eldest sonne of the Devill, the Head of the Church malignant upon earth; yet to eject, to cast 2 Thes. 2. 4. him out of the Temple of God, where he sitteth as God; what a stirre, what a combustion hath it made, doth it make, and is yet like to make through the Christian world? Tangit montes & fumigabunt. He toucheth the hils and Rev. 17 9. they smoake, Psa. 104. 32.] Those seven Hils of Rome be­ing touched, how do they smoake? How do they burn as if they would set all the world on fire? Never did Aetna or Ves [...]vins, those flaming Mountaines so terri­ble to the neighbouring Territories, cast out such thun­derings and lightenings, such vollies of smoake and flames, as those seven hils have done, and at this day do, to the terrour and amazement of all the Christian world. Tant [...] ▪ molis [...]rit. So great a worke is it like to be to disinthronize that same [...], that great Antagonist of Jesus Christ, that Lord Paramount, that opposeth against, and exalteth himselfe above all that is 2 Thes. 2. 4. called God. To bring downe that Antichrist, and to cast him out of the Temple, the Church of God, his usurped possession, which he hath held so long a time▪ vi & armis, by force and might, to cast out him with all his complices and adherents, it is a mighty worke; such a worke, as who but Jesus Christ can be able to effect? And he will doe it, and that when the time commeth, [Page 28] with great facility and case▪ He shall consu [...]s him with 2 Thes. 2. 8. the breath of his mouth, and destroy him with the brightnesse of his comming, that is, suddenly, easily consume, abo­lish him, and together with him, all other enemies of his Church, whether open or secret.

The through purging of the Church an ar­gument of Christs Divini­tie Par [...]us a [...]l loc. A great worke. I such a worke, as if we had no o­ther argument to prove it, yet might we even from hence (as a good authour observes upon the Text) e­vince and demonstrate the Divinity of Jesus Christ; that he is more then man, truly God. To purge the Church, and to purge it throughly, it is Opus plane divinum, the worke of God and not of man. So much judicious Cal­vin rightly observes from that fore-named place of the Prophet Isaiah, Isa. 1. 25. where the Lord telleth his Calv. in Isa. 1. 25.Church, I will turne my hand upon thee, and will purely purge away thy drosse, &c.] Purgatio Ecclesiae propri [...] Dei opus. The purging of the Church is Gods peculiar worke, the worke of his owne hand. I will turne my hand upon thee, &c.] Certainly had not Christ bin more then man, he could never have purged the Temple as he did; And were he not truely God, he could never purge this floore, as it shsll be purged, throughly purge it. This hee can doe, and this hee will doe.

Quest. 3. When shall the Church be pur­ged? Act. 1. 6. But when will he doe it? there is the third Quere. It was a businesse of like nature that the Disciples were so inquisitive with our Saviour about, Acts 1. vi [...]. When he would restore the Kingdom unto Israel. If any shall make the like enquiry touching the purging of the Church, when Christ will do it? Let him rest contented with that satisfaction that the Text giveth him. He will doe it. The purging of the Church a continued work, begun and car­ried on here, perfected here­after. [...], perpurgabit. He [will] throughly purge his floore.] This he will doe. The purging of the Church (as I told you) is a great worke, and therefore not the worke of a day, to be done at once. As it was with the building of the second Temple under the Law, so shall it be with the purging of the Church under the [Page 29] Gospell. (I dare not goe so farre as to make the one a Type of the other, but the congruity betwixt them, with the allusion of the one to the other, I cannot but acknowledge and approve.) That Temple was not built all at once, as Solomons Temple was, but by degrees. Such shall the repairing and purging of the Church un­der the Gospell be, Graduall, not perfected all at once. Christ in the dayes of his flesh, he purged the Temple more then once: three severall times, three severall dayes, (so Chemnitius notes it upon that second chapt. of John.) First in the beginning of his Ministery; af­terwards once▪ and againe a little before the end of his Ioh. 2. 15. Mat. 21. 12. Mark. 11. 15. Luk▪ 19. 45.life, as may be collected by comparing the foure Evan­gelists. And as he repeated the worke, so he did it by degrees (as the same Authour there observes.) First he casteth out the Sellers onely: Joh. 2. 15. Then after­wards, both buyers and Sellers, Mat. 21. Mark. 11. Luk. 19. The purging of the Church is not one act. It is not to be done at once, but by degrees. The Moone having lost her light, recovers it by degrees, so shall the Church hers. The purging and restoring of the Church is a continued worke, and therefore Christ is said to fit at it, in that place fore-named, Mal. 3. He shall sit downe Mal. 3. 3. to try and to fine, &c.] He fitteth downe to it: Beginning and carrying it on here, perfecting it hereafter.

Quest. 4. How Christ pur­geth it? viz. by hu Fanne. And all this will he doe with and by his Fanne. So I am fallen upon the fourth enquirie. How Christ will doe this, by what meanes, by what Instrument. The Text resolves it. He will doe it by his Fanne. Who hath his fanne in his hund▪ and he will throughly purge his floore, viz. by that his fanne, even that threefold fanne which Scultet. exercit. super Textum. Ʋentilabrum in manu Christi triplex. 1. Doctrinae.2. Crucis.3. Iudicij. I spoke of, the fanne of the Word, the fanne of the Crosse, the fanne of the last Judgement. All these three Christ maketh use of for the purging of this floore, his Church. The two former he maketh use of here; the fanne of the word, the fanne of the Crosse, whereof the latter is subservient to the former.

[Page 30] Properly the Fanne of the Word. I [...]r. [...]3. 29. The chiefe Instrument which Christ maketh use of in this great purging worke is his Word. This is that fire, (is not my Word as fire?) Whereby this Refiner try­eth and purgeth his mettall: First, discovering corrup­tions, then consuming them. Even as the fire first sheweth which is the drosse, and then burnes it up. Both these doth Christ by his Word. First discovering 1 Cor. 3. 12, 13.corruptions by the light of it. If Wood, Hay, Stubble, be built upon the foundation, the day will declare it, (Dies Evangelij, the lightsome Doctrine of heavenly truth, as divers Expositors expound that place) it shall be re­vealed by fire, viz. by the Word, which examining and trying the Doctrines of men, discovers the corruption that is in them. And discovering them by the light of it, he consumes them by the heate of it; and that both per­sonall and Church corruptions. Both these Christ pur­geth out of his floore by this fanne, his Word. Hereby it is that he hath already purged out so much Romish chaffe out of this floore, so much of Antichristian Ido­latry, and superstition out of his Church. And by this meanes he will purge out the rest. He shall consume 2 Thes. 2. 8. him with the breath of his mouth, saith the Apostle, spea­king of Antichrist and Antichristianisme, with the breath of his mouth, i. e. spiritu Sermonis Evangelici, saith Caje [...]n rightly. The Gospell preached. This is that same [...]. Rev. 1. 16. Heb. 4. 1 [...]. that sharpe two edged Sword going forth of the Mouth of Jesus Christ. Even his Word in the mouth of his Ministers, which is sharper then any two edged Sword. Hereby it is that Christ goeth forth against all the Ene­mies of his Person and Kingdome, wounding them, Psal 45. 5. Rev. 6. [...]. slaying them. Wounding them. T [...]ine Arrowes are sharpe in the heart of the Kings Enemies.] Arrowes shot out of that Bow in the hand of Jesus Christ, wherewith he goeth forth through the world conquering, and to conquer, Rev. 6. viz. his Word, his Gospell preached, which is the powerfull instrument of Jesus Christ, wounding the soules and consciences of such as oppose it. And [Page 31] not onely wounding, but slaying them. He shall smite Isa. [...]1. 4. the Earth with the R [...]d of his Mouth, (saith the Prophet Isaiah) and with the Breath of his Mouth shall he slay the wicked. The R [...]d of Christs Mouth, and the Breath of his lips is his Word; his Gospell preached: Hereby he smiteth the Earth, that is, the wicked and impenitent which are upon the Earth, Smiteth them, nay slayeth them; Either killing sinne in them, or them in their sinnes, slaying them spiritually. This doth Christ by his word, which is unto all impenitent unbelievers a killing let­ter, a deadly savour, a savour of death unto death. Of 2 Cor 3. 6. 2 Cor. [...]. 16.such effi [...]acie is this fanne in the hand of Jesus Christ. Hereby he not onely discovers, but also dissipateth and scattereth what ever chaffe he meeteth with in his floore. And by this meanes purgeth it; making use of his Word, as the chiefe and principall Instrument in effe­cting this great worke.

Accompanied with the wing of Discipline. True it is, it must not be denied, but that this fanne (as I have heretofore said) works the better when it hath the winge to helpe and second it. The Word is made more powerfull and effectuall, when it is backed by Discipline, which rightly and duely exercised, ser­veth as a winge to sweepe off such scandalous and ob­stinate offendours, as doe despise the winde of this fanne, such as will not yeeld obedience to the Word. A use­full implement, so it must be acknowledged. The fanne will not make cleane worke without it. Without it this floore will not be throughly purged. And in this regard much to be desired. But yet know we it not to be so absolutely and essentially necessary to the being of a Church, as that the bare absence, the want of the exer­cise of it, (for as for the power, that cannot be taken away from the Church, being by Christ himselfe gi­ven to it as a Church) should make a nullity of a Church, make it to be no Church. Surely where the fanne is at worke, there is Christ at worke purging his floore. This being (as I said) the chiefe and principall In­strument [Page 32] and meanes whereby he eff [...]cteth this great worke.

Accidentally [...]y the Fanne o [...] the Crosse. Not but that he also make [...]h use of that other Fanne, the Fanne of the Crosse, for the furthering of this work. But this is accidentally. The Crosse hauing no such purging property in it selfe, otherwise then a [...] Christ is pleased to make use of it, which he doth o [...]-times to this end: Hereby purging out (as persona [...], so Church-corruptions. Isa. 27 9.By this (saith the Prophet Isaiah) sh [...]ll the iniquity of Jacob be purged.] By this, viz. by Gods de­bating and contending with his Church in the branches thereof (as the old [...]ranslation readeth it) by blowing ver. 8.upon it with a rough winde in the day of the East winde: that is, by his exercising of it with the strong and sharp winde of some sor [...] judgment, which like an East wind nippeth and blasteth th [...] [...]ud and the branch, though not killing the Root, Hereby (saith the Lord) shall the ini­quity of Jacob (the Church) be purged. Expiabi [...]r, it shall be expiated, purged, not by way of satisfaction (as ver. 9.our adversaries would carry it) but by Repentance and Reformation, which God would use this as a meanes to bring his Church and people unto, thereby purging out their Idolatry and superstition with all the monuments of it, which is properly the iniquity of Jacob there spo­ken of (as may be gathered from the sequell.) Such use God often makes of this second Fanne; where the former, the Fanne of the Word, taketh not place, he sends the latter, the Fanne of the Crosse to second it; ma­king use of both for the Purging of his floore. Thus he pur­geth it Here.

But this purging is imperfect, not yet a through-pur­ging, when shall that be? When shall this Floore be throughly purged? I have told you it already. Hereaf­ter at that last and great day, that day of purification; when Heaven and Earth shall be purified, then shall this Floore the Church, be purged, throughly purged. And this shall Christ doe by that third and last Fanne, the [Page 33] Fanne of the last judgement. Thereby shall he make a Mat. 25. 32.full and finall Separation, separating the Goates from the Mat. 13. 30▪ Sheepe, which here have gone with them in the same flocke, fed with them in the same pasture. Thereby shall he lever the Tares from the wheat, which here grew up with it in the same field. Hereby he will sever the chaff from the Corne, which here lay with it upon the same heape. And that he will doe throughly, perfectly; from thence forth for ever freeing his Church from all mix­tures, whether of corrupt-men or corruptions, neither Rev. 2 [...]. 27.of which shall enter into the new and heavenly Jeru­salem.

Quest. 5. Wherefore shall it be so purged, viz. that it may be a glorious Church. Thus will Jesus Christ purge his Floore, his Church. And wherefore will he so purge it? That is the 5^th and last Enquiry: To which take the Resolution in a word. This he will doe, that he may have a glorious Church; a Church sutable to the Head of it. The Head of the Church is a glorious head, a Head like that of Nebuchad­nezzars Image, all Gold, fine and pure gold. Such shall Dan 2. 32.the Body be, not part of brasse and part of Iron, and part of Clay, a mixed body, as that was; but all Gold, pure Gold, that it may be sutable to the Head. A glorious bo­dy to a glorious Head. To this end it is (saith the Apo­stle) Ephes▪ 5 27. That Christ sanctifieth and cleanseth his Church by the washing of water through the word, that he may present it unto himselfe a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinc­kle, or any such thing (any mixture) but that it should be holy and without blemish, Eph 5. 27.

Introduction to Application. Thus have I runne over the Doctrinall part of this Conclusion, That Christ will throughly purge his Church. What Ʋse shall we make of it? Time giveth not way to particular inlargements: Neither indeed am I very willing to give way to them upon this subiect in this Congregation; which if I should, it would happily oc­casion some debates and disputes, which my desire is (as much as may be) to decline and avoid. Truth is, I scarce know a Text in Scripture, which offers a more [Page 34] fit and full occasion to the discussing of the differences and controversies of the time, then this: But such is my love to peace, and desire of peace, that I will not only not runne out my Text to fetch in differences, but I shall (as much as may be) baulke and passe them by, when I meet with them. This I have hitherto done, not medling in publike with any of those points of dif­ference betweene us and those our brethren, who doe hold communion with us. As for that bitter errour of the Separation (so I call it, borrowing the word from James 3. 15.S^t. James, who informes me of a bitter zeale, [...], of which nature I take this to be, which is so farre di­stasted, not only with the Church of England, but with the Churches in England, as that at once it rejecteth and renounceth them all as false and Antichristian) appre­hen ling it like to be the errour of the times, dangerous to the Church, and in particular to this place, I con­fess [...], as I have met with it, I have not spared it, nei­ther (by the grace of God) for the future shall; But for what ever d [...]fferences there are betwixt us, and those that will owne us for Brethren, I have not yet touched upon them, neither shall I willingly doe it; wishing that herein I may find a like correspondence from others in this place, that so Church-differences being laid aside, 2 Sam. [...]0. 12, 13.(as that dying Amasa once was) and covered with silence, the Lords people might be led on in their march to Heaven without diversion or interruption. Upon this ground, I shall forbeare inlargements.

Besides, let me tell you, All Truthes (I though Gos­pell Truthes) are not so fit for every audience. For this 1 Cor 3▪ 2.I have S [...]. Pauls warrant to beare me out, who writing to his Corinthians, tels them, that he had sed them with milke and not with meat, Why? For hitherto (saith he) yee were not able to beare it, neither yet are ye able, 1▪ Cor. 3. And such I take this subject to be, which I have now in hand. Church-Reformation. A subject fit indeed to be handled before that Authority to which a Church-Re­forming [Page 35] power is committed; but not so fit for private Auditories. Herein I cannot but applaud and approve T. G. Zerobabels In­c [...]uragement.the profession and practise of a reverend and worthy brother of ours, a knowne Advocate for Church-Refor­mation, who having preached a Sermon upon this very subject before the Honourable House os Commons at one of their Publike Fasts, and at their command publishing it, in his Epistle Dedicatory to them, he tels them and the world, that it was a subject which otherwise, and in all other Auditories h [...] had beene silent in, and yet was no whit sory for it. Not but that the People ought also to know their duty herein. So saith he, and so say I, and in that way shall I carry the Application, which [...] intend to make of it.

Ʋse. Doe what wee may to further this designe of Iesus Christ upon this Church, viz. the Purging. Re­forming of it. Will Jesus Christ thus throughly purge his floore, why then let all and every of us (every of us in our places) doe what we may, doe what we can for the furthering of this designe, this great designe of Jesus Christ, in and upon this and other of his Churches. That this is his designe, we comfortably hope. Certainly one of these two it must be, either Reformation or Desolation. We trust, not the latter, though we have cause enough to feare it. Our hopes are, that Jesus Christ will not yet forsake this Floore of his, where the Fanne of the Word hath bin so long a time at worke, and where he hath so much wheat lying upon the Heape. It is the Lords own Reason to Paul, why he would not have him depart from Corinth, but abide and preach there; for (saith he) I have much people in this City. Surely God hath Act. 18. 10▪much people, a great people in this Kingdome: A great people already called and brought in, and we hope yet a greater to be called in; Much Corne already threshed, and more in the Straw. This giveth us some comfor­table hopes, that he will not yet desert this Floore, not yet leave this Church of his. What then? Purge it, Purge it, Reforme it, Reforme it. This we hope is the present designe of Jesus Christ at this day, not to [Page 36] abandon, not to cast up this Floore, this Church of his, but to purge it from what ever Chaffe of corruption is yet remaining in it.

That there is Chaffe yet remaining in this Floore, it must not be denyed; Certainly were there not, this Fanne, the Fanne of the Crosse, the Fanne of Judgement should not be so busie at worke, as at this day it is (and now for so many moneths hath been.) It is Jobs speech Iob 6. 5.to his Friends, Doth the wild Asse bray when hee hath grasse, or doth the Oxe low over his fodder? The ve­ry bruit beasts doe not complaine, when they have what they would have. Surely it cannot be but some­thing must be amisse amongst us; otherwise God would never deale with us, and other of his Chur­ches as at the present he doth. Certainly we may hence conclude, that as yet he hath not what he would have. Something there is amisse amongst us, and Ezek▪ 24. 6.something which we hope he is about to reforme. Questionlesse some scum there is in this Pot, which whilest it hath bin pla [...]ing with so long a continued prosperity, hath even boyled and sodden-in. And Psal▪ 73. 10.hereupon it is (we hope) that God hath now powred in this full cup of cold-water, that as he hath hereby in part raised this scumme already, so he may in his time purge it out. Some Chaffe in this Floore, some Cor­ruption in this Church, which we trust Christ is about to purge out and reforme.

Motive. Christs worke cannot be hin­dered. And doe we apprehend this to be his aime and De­signe? Let every of us further it vvhat vve can, not hin­der it. Hinder it we cannot: Which may serve as an ar­gument to put us on to further it. Hinder it (if we would) we cannot. He will purge and throughly purge his floore. This he will doe, and that in despight of all opposition; maugre the malice of Satan, Antichrist, and all their accursed Instruments and Adherents. Let them all doe what they can either by power or pollicy to keepe the chaffe in the Floore of Christ, yet Christ will purge [Page 37] it out. And can we not hinder it? Why then let us put to our hands to the furthering of it. None of us in this case but may do something, if we have hearts to the worke.

Quest. What shall wee doe? Quest. But then,What shall we doe? A great, use­full and seasonable Question, but it will require more time for the resolution of it, then is at the present allot­ted me. Let me only tell you what my designe and purpose in the Answer of it, is, viz. to shew you these two things: 1. What the Reformation is which we are to desire and seeke. And secondly, What we shall doe to fur­ther and compasse that Reformation. Two usefull points. The former I shall only touch upon in the generall (ha­ving already bounded my selfe from particular inlarge­ments upon this subject.) In the second I shall deale more distinctly and particularly; but the time being now past, taketh me off from present prosecution of ei­ther. I shall adjourne them both (if God please) to another occasion.

THe subject of the Text (as you have al­ready heard) is Church-Reformation; a great and a glorious worke, the great de­signe (as vve hope) of Jesus Christ upon this and other of his Churches at this day. Apprehending it so to be, be we excited every of us, to put to our hands, in our severall places to doe what we may for the promoting and furthering of that designe in the Church of God amongst us. This Exhortation I propounded the last day, and give me now leave to prosecute it.

Vse. Doe what we may every of us for the furthering of this great Designe. But what shall we do?

For answer hereunto, I then chalked out the way, wherein I intend now to walke; which was, first to shew you, What that Reformation is, which we are to seek. Quest. What Reforma­tion to be [...]esired in this Church.Secondly, What we shall doe to compasse that Reformation. Begin with the first of these.

Qu What is that Reformation which amongst us is so de­sired, [Page 39] and so desireable? A question of great and present concernement, other wise I should not so much as have medled with it. Reformation, it is the common Theame of the times: No one thing more frequently, more freely spoken of every where; but my feares are, not so clearely, so distinctly understood by many, it may be by some of them who seeme to be most zealous in the cause, either for or against it. To rectifie, not to quenth or quell the zeale of the one, to kindle and blow it up in the other; I shall adventure to descend into, or rather upon, these troubled waters; hovering over them, (as the Spirit is said to have done over those first waters. Movebat super faci [...]m;) Mooving upon the face of the Gen. 1. 2. Mat. 14. 25. deepe; or walking upon the surface of them, (as our Sa­viour once did upon the Sea;) not diving into them; passing over the point as lightly, as tenderly, as overly, as generally as with convenience I may; Yet so as I may give some satisfaction to those which doe, or shall de­sire it.

Answ. The Churches Imperfection wherein it con­sisteth. For resolution we must looke a little back, casting an eye, (so far as with humble modesty we may)▪ upon the Churches deformation; enquiring what chaffe there is yet left in this floore, what Errours, what Imper­fections, what corruptions there are, or may be supposed to be left in this Church, unpurged out, unreformed. Ezek. 8▪ 12. It must be ei­ther in Faith or Order. Col. [...]. 5. Faith and Or­der the two main Pillars of a Church. Duo ponit A­postolus qui­bus constat Ec­cle [...]i [...] perfe­ctio. Beza▪ ad [...]ocu [...]. Chaffe there is, Errours, Imperfections there are (as what Church without?) Let that be granted, yeal­ded. But wherein lye those Errours, those Imperfe­ctions?

To find them out we shall not need to goe far about; there are but two Roo [...]s, two Chambers (as I may say) wherein we are to make search for them. They must be either in matters of Faith or Order. To these two heads the Apostle reduceth the whole businesse of a Church, Col. 2. 5. Beholding your Order, and the sted­fastnesse of your Faith.] There are but these two maine things to be eyed in a Church, the perfection of a Con­stituted [Page 40] 1 King 7▪ 21. Church consisting in them, Faith and Order, the two great supporters of a Church, like those two Pillars in the Porch of Solomons Temple, Jachin and Boaz; Establishment and Strength, as the words sig­nifie.

Faith the right­hand Pillar. Faith, Doctrine, or the Doctrine of Faith, the right­hand pillar, the maine and principall thing in a Church; So much the Apostle there insinuates, in that he cal­leth it [...], Firmamentum fidei, (as the vulgar Latin renders it) The Firmament, the Ground­worke, and Foundation of Faith. Such is the Doctrine of Faith to the Church, Totius adificij [...], i. e. Ibid. Fulcimentum, (as Beza glosseth upon it) The maine Basis or Buttresse of this Building, the maine Pillar of the Church.

Faith and the Church, they are mutuall Pillars, each a Pillar to other; the Church a Pillar to Faith, and Faith a Pillar to the Church; but in a different respect. The 1 Tim. 3. 15. Church is a Pillar to Faith (The Pillar of Truth) mo­do forensi, a Pillar houlding it forth, as Pillars doe the publick Edicts or Proclamations which are hanged up­on them, or fixed to them. Faith a Pillar to the Church, Modo Architectonico, a Pillar holding it up, as a Pillar doth a House which resteth upon it. Faith the right­hand pillar.

Order the left­hand Pillar. Naz: Next to that is Order. Order the Beauty of a Church, Ʋbi Ordo dominatur ibi pulchritudo splendescit (saith the Father.) Where Order raignes, Beuty shines. A thing much to be joyed in where it is. [...], saith Col. 2. 5. Paul to those Colossians. Rejoycing and beholding your Order of the Essence of a Church. Ex quibus ve­lu [...]i generali­bus partibus constat Eccle­sia, Beza▪ Ibid. Order, Much to be desired where it is not, or where it is not in some degree of perfection. The Beauty of a Church, Nay more, of the Essence of a Church, Faith and Order (saith Beza) they are the generall parts of which a Church consists: Each essentiall to a con­stituted Church, requisite not onely to the well-being, but the being of it; without which it cannot be a [Page 41] Church, a constituted Church. A Church it cannot be without Faith, which maketh it an Essentiall Church, A constituted Church it cannot be without Order (some Order) which maketh it an Integrall and Organicall Ames: Medul: lib. 1 cap. 33.Church, (as our Learned Countrey-man distinqui­sheth.) This it is that makes the difference betwixt Ecclesia, and Agora, (as Illiricus well observes) be­twixt a Church and a Market. The one is Conventus Ordinatus, an Orderly Convension or Assembly. The other, Confusa Congregatio, a Confused and Pr [...]iscuous Gathering. Even as it is betwixt an Armie and a Route, that which differenceth the one from the other is Order. An Armie is an Orderly Body, made up of Commanders, Officers, Common-Souldiers, divided into severall Regi­ments, Squadrons and Companies, Martialled in Rankes and Files, observing a Militario Order. Such is the Cant. 6. 10. Church, an Armie [Terrible as an Armie,] it is said of the Church Ʋniversall; and it may be said of every par­ticular Church, it is (or ought to be) an Armie, Acies or­dinat [...], an Armie; as for Strength, so for Order, without which it cannot be a Church.

Some Perfe­ction of Order of great con­cernement to a Church. Of such concernement is Order to the Church, and that, some Perfection of Order. Without the one it can­not be a Constituted Church, and without the other it cannot be a Setled, an Established Church. He shall sit up­on the Throne of David, and upon his Kingdome to order, and to stablish it,] it is spoken of Christ and his Church, Isa. 9. 7. Isa. 9. To Order and to stablish. No Establishing of a Church without Order; No such way to Establish it as by Order; Which, the more exact and perfect it is, the more Beautifull, the more Stable the Church is; and therefore not to be sleighted, as it is by many. Next to the Faith of the Church, no one thing of so great con­cernement as [...]rder. If Faith be the right-hand Pillar, Church-Order der wherein it consists▪ viz. in 3. things. Order is the left.

Q. But wherein consists this Order which we erye up to be so requisite, at least to the well being of a Church.

[Page 42] D [...]ven [...]t [...]Calvin super Col. 2. 5. A. Here give me leave to follow the steps of a Re­verend and Learned Worthy of this Church, or rather Calvins before him, whom therein he followes. Church-Order consists principally in these three things. 1. In the Ʋnitie and Agreement of the Members of a Church. 2. In the Orderly walking of those Members. 3. In a right Discipline duly exercised. All these three did the Apostle, not without singular complacencie and joy, take notice of in the Church of Colosse. He there saw a sweet Harmonie and agreement betwixt the mem­bers; he saw their personall walkings, and Church-bu­sinesses all carried in a Regular and Orderly way. Three things much to be desired in every Church.

1 1. Ʋnitie and Agreement, and that both in Judge­ment Ʋnitie in Iulg­ment and Affe­ction. Phil. 2. 2. and Affection; That the Members of a Church might be all [...], (to use Pauls words) Like-minded, One-Hearted, Having the same Love, being of one accord, of one minde, (as Paul saith to his Philippians,) minding and speaking one and the ver. 20.same thing. Mutually imbracing, and Naturally caring for the state one of another: Thus knit together in that double Bond of Faith and Love. Here is the first Branch of Church-Order, Ʋnitie and Agreement.

2 A second is in the Carriage and D [...]meanour, the life Regulatitie in life and conven­sation. Tit. 2 12. 2 Thes. 3. 6. and conversation of the Members of a Church, which ought to be Orderly. Orderly both towards▪ God, Themselves, Others. A living Righteousnesse, Soberly, Godly, (as the Apostle hath it.) Godly to God-ward: Soberly to Themselves-ward: Righteously to the World­ward: which who so doe not, they are said to walke [...], without Order, Disorderly. [Withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh Disorderly.] Here is the second Branch of this Order. Order in the Perso­nall walkings of Christians, such as joyne themselves to a Church.

3 3. A third is that which we call Discipline, Church-Discipline, Discipline.taking the word in the latitude of it, the lar­gest [Page 43] sense, as it comprehends under it the Right-Or­dering of all the affaires and businesses of the Church; whether of Officers, for their Election, Ordination, &c. or Ordinances, as viz. Word, Sacraments, Prayers, Cen­sures, all which ought to be done (as the Apostle hath it) [...], Orderly, according to Order. So were the Services under the Law done. The Service of the 2 Chron. [...]9. 35. 1 Cor. 14 [...]lt. House of the Lord was set in Order, 2 Chron. 29. So ought all Services under the Gospell to be done. Let all things be done decently and in Order.] Put these toge­ther, and you have the full comprehension of this second Generall so requisite in every Church-Order.

Now, (to winde up what I have raveled, and to re­turne from whence I have made this necessary digres­sion.) In which of these two Chambers shall we find the Errours and Imperfections in this Church of onrs, needing, and calling for Reformation? Shall we find them in matters of Faith, in points of Doctrine, or in Order?

The Church of England de­fective not in points of Faith. Not in the former. So much I suppose is, or will be freely confessed and acknowledged at all ingenuous and impartiall hands. As for the great things of the Gospell, matters of Faith or Doctrine, the first Reformers of our Church had so happy a hand therein, that there is to be Zerubbabels Incouragemēt, by T. G. found little, if any hay or stubble therein; It is the free, publick, and true acknowledgement o [...] one, no back­friend to Church-Reformation, in his Sermon before the Honourable House of Commons, upon that Subject. Not in Faith, not in Doctrine; Blessed be God for that▪ Wherein then? why in Order. There it must be or no where. And here I dare not say, but that some things But, Order, viz.may be found amisse, some Errours, some Defects, some Corruptions, and those possible to be found in every cor­ner of this Chamber, In every of those three Branches which I particularized even now. In some of them they are more palpable, (not more palpable then deplo­rable.) In the two former I think none but will ac­knowledge [Page 44] foule errours, foule deformities.

1 1. As first in point of Christian Ʋnitie and Agreement. In Ʋnity. Ioh. 17. 21.Herein what disorder in the Church of God amongst us? The Church which should be one, one in the Mem­bers of it, (I pray that they may be all one,) saith our Saviour, speaking of all that are given to him to be­leeve on him, to make profession of his Name) One, in Head and Heart; Judgement and Affection, united to Christ, and amongst themselves by those sacred bonds of Faith and Love,) how is it divided, rent, torne? Chri­stians, Members of the same mysticall body, how seve­red, and hat both in Judgement and Affection? The evi­dence is too cleare against us.

2 2. And no lesse cleare in the second particular. In Regularity.the Personall walkings of Christians, what Irregularitie? amongst those which joyne themselves to the Church, or Churches of God amongst us, how many that walke [...] Disorderly? neither Righteously, nor Soberly, nor Godly: persons every wayes Scandalous, in their pra­ctise, running counter to their professions, shaming the Gospell of Christ, and the Church of God, as un­gracious Children doe their Mother; as worthy to be severed and seperated from all Church society and com­munion, as ever was Leaper or uncleane person to be cast, or kept out of the Campe or Temple? A blot it must be acknowledged, and a blot very readily hit, that we should have such and so many of these Blots 2 Pet 2. 13. Iude 1 [...].and Spots, [...] (as S. Peter and Jude cal­leth them,) in our most sacred Feasts, whether for want of Power to keepe, or cast them out, or for want of the due exercise of that power, I dispute it not. That it is so de Facto, it must not, it cannot be denied. So as in this point it seemeth, that the Temple of God amongst us is yet imperfect, having too great an out­ward Court of an Ignorant and Prophane multitude layed unto it. In both these, (as I said) the evidence is too cleare against us.

[Page 45] 3. And I will not take upon me to cleare and acquit 3 the third and last. I am no Accuser, neither come I Discipline.hither to pick holes in the Churches coate, to passe a peremptorie censure upon what ever standeth establi­shed by the Law, to which I am a Subject; Yet dare I not say but even therein, in point of Discipline, (take the word largely) there may be some things, and ma­ny things amisse; Some things Redundant and Super­fluous, fit to be pared off, and taken away; Some things deficient and wanting, wherein the Church hath not yet attained her full perfection. Neither can it be thought any dishonour to those ever honoured Worthies, the first Reformers of this Church, that they should leave it in some particulars imperfect. Strange and wonderfull it is, that coming out of such darknesse, they should see so much as they did; that they should leave the Church so perfect, which they found so imperfect, and that both for Faith and Order, in both like that first Chao [...], without forme and voide.

Of what nature these supposed imperfections are. Not Funda­mentall▪ But to doe them right, and the Church no wrong; Enquire we yet a little further; of what Nature and Qualitie are those Errours, those Imperfections which we suppose to be ye [...] left remaining? Are they Fun­damentals, or no? destructive to the Essence and being of a Church, or no? Not so. This also is, (or I suppose will be) freely yeelded and acknowledged at all Ju­dicious hands. In the first Reforming of this Church, T. G. Ibid. God tooke care for all fundamentall Ordinances of his wor­ship, furnishing the Church with what was necessary for the making, and building up of Saints, and the bringing of his people to Heaven: Word, Sacraments, Prayer, those great Ordinances of God, the very Basis of the Church, together with all the substantials apper­taining to them, were all setled and established at the first. And I may adde to them the substantials of Disci­pline also.

Wherein then lyeth the Errour? why surely for the [Page 46] But for the most part Cir­cumstantiall. most part in circumstantials. Such is Order to Ordi­nances, a Circumstance, an Appurtenance. And here­in probably there may be some, possibly many, and those very considerable defects to be found amongst us. The House of God amongst us may want some of her Ʋten­sils and Ornaments; The Worship of God, though for substantialls entire, yet may want some of her Appur­tenances, and Accoutrements. The Ordinances of God though for substance rightly dispensed and administred, yet in the manner, and Order of their Administration, possibly they may be found, some of them at the least, not so Regular and Orderly.

Now put these together, and see what it is that stan­deth charged upon this Church, as needing and calling for Reformation. Her Defects in point of Order. Her Members, (first) are not so joynted and cemented to­gether, as the Timbers and Stones of the Temple ought to be. Many of them, (in the second place) in their personall walkings doe not answer their profession, be­ing scandalous in their lives and conversations. Her Or­dinances, in the third place, some of them defective in some Circumstances, wanting some Appurtenances, or else not so Exact for the Order and manner of their Ad­ministration.

These Errours and Imperfe­ctions of great concernment. Q. Why, but you may say, are these Errours and Defects, Tanti? are they of such high concernement, as that the Reformation of them should be so earnestly desired?

A. To this I must answer, and I shall doe it freely; Of Concernement they are, and that of great concerne­ment: Though not of so great as some have taken them to be, who have forsaken and abandoned the Church for them, renouncing, nullifying it, as being no floore because of these remainders of chaffe in it, no Church because of these defects, these corruptions, Yet of greater, then others happily conceive them. That will appeare if we doe but consider these two things, [Page 47] 1. The Inconveniency of allowing or tolerating of these corruptions. 2. The conveniencie of their Reforma­tion.

For the former. Corruptions in a Church are like I Moath [...]s in a Garment, if let alone, they will be subject The Inconveni­en [...]y of tolera­ting them.to decay it. Many and great are the Inconveniencies and hazzards, which the Church of God amongst us, by rea­son of these acknowledged corruptions or imperfections at the present lyeth under.

1. The want of unity and agreement, what an Eye­sore? Nay what a Heart-sore. For the Divisions of Reu­ben Iudg. 5. 15, 16. were great thoughts of heart.] To see the seamelesse Coat of Christ, nay his Body rent and torne in p [...]eces; Col. 1. 24.Christians, members of the same mysticall body, so divided in head and heart, in judgement and affection; a sad spectacle, and as sad a presage. Vnity, as it is the Beauty, so is it the strength of a Church. No one thing either deformes or weakens it more then di­vision.

2. To have the outward Court of the Temple so wide, as that it should admit and receive all comers; what a disproportion? To have all sorts of persons, Persons openly profane and scandalous, received into and re­tained in the bosome of the Church, admitted to Church society and Communion, even communion in those sacred mysteries, the Seales of the Covenant, what a sca [...]dall? What a Hazard? Hereat and hereby some are offended, others hardened, the Church endangered. Indangered and that both in respect of guilt and infection. Both these wayes that of the Apostle carries a truth with it: [A little leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe] leaven, corrupt 1 Cor. 5. 6.and scandalous sinners, not purged out, but allowed or connived at in a Church, it leaveneth the whole lumpe; lay­eth the whole Church under a guilt, where the Church is Accessary to that Toleration; besides the danger of souring, leavening, infecting others, possibly the whole Church, probably some of the members of it: both ways [Page 48] the Church is damnified or indangered.

3 3. To want a due and right Order in dispencing the Ordinances of God, or managing the affaires and busi­nesses of the Church, it is a thing of dangerous conse­quence; I, though the substance be right. David in 1 Chron. 13.bringing the Arke from Kiriath-Jearim to Jerusalem from a private house, the house of Abinadab, to its own place, the Tabernacle, which he had prepared for it, ver. 10.for the substance of the duty he was right in it, yet mi­staking in the Order, laying the Arke upon a Cart which should have been carried upon the Priests and Le­vites shoulders, God made a Breach amongst them for 1 Chro. 15. 13it. The Lord our God (saith he) made a breach amongst us, for that we sought him not after the due order.] Not observing the order instituted and appointed by God in his Law. Of such dangerous consequence may some failings in point of order be. Were there nothing else, this alone may provoke God against a people to cause him to breake in upon them, to make a Breach amongst them. Great Inconvenience in allowing, tolerating of these corruptions.

2 On the other hand, as great convenience in their Re­formation. The Conveni­ency of their Reformation.To have all the stones gathered out of the Lords vineyard, to have all stumbling-blocks and scandals, all grounds and causes, and (as much as may be) occa­sions of division removed, and taken out of the way, whereby the hearts of Gods people may come to be ce­mented and united together. To have the Court of the Temple reduced to it's due scantling and proportion, made neither too wide, nor too strait (there may be an er­rour on both hands.) To have the House of God cleane swept and garnished, purged from all corruptions, furnished with all requisite Implements and Ornaments, not only her 1 King. 7, 48, 49, 50. Altar, Table, Candlesticke, but also her Tongs and her Snuffers, &c. and those all of pure gold. To have her Officers and Ordinances all reduced to native, primitive purity and simplicity. To have this Vineyard amongst us [Page 49] not only planted with choice vines, but to have a hedge set Isa. 5. 1, 2.about it (a hedge of Discipline about the Ordinances) to have a Towre and a Wine-presse, and all other requi­sites in it. How would this ad both to the beauty and safe­ty of the Church, to the Power and Glory of the Ordi­nances, to the joy, comfort and growth of all the Mem­bers of the mysticall Body. Let them not then be blamed who seeke and seeke earnestly for the purging of this floore, the Reformation of this Church in the fore-named particulars.

Quest. 2. W [...]a [...] shall private Christi­ans do [...]o further this worke. But what then shall we doe, for the compassing or fur­thering of this Reformation? Here falls in the second Question: For Answer to which take some directions; one for the present (for I see I shall not be able to com­passe what I intended.)

Direct. 1. [...]e thankfull for mercies enjoyed. In the first place. Be we thankefull for what we have. A usefull, a needfull direction. No means more effectu­all to obtaine what we want and would have, then thankefully to acknowledge what we have already re­ceived. This doe we in the behalfe of the Church of God amongst us, not lessening, not undervaluing, much lesse over-looking and forgetting the great things which our God hath already done for us. This doe some (I feare too many amongst us) whose eyes are all upon the Churches blacknesse (they are evill eyes which are so, a thing which the Church chargeth the Daughters of Je­rusalem (her friends) not to doe. Looke not upon me Cant. 1. 6. because I am blacke, Cant. 1.) her blemishes, her spots, her defects, her corruptions, and in beholding of these they are Eagle-eyed, but in the meane time as for her comelinesse; her beauty, her graces, her blessings, these they either over-looke, or else looke overly and coyly upon them, as if they were not worth the looking on. The Story tels us of the Israelites, that when they first saw that Bread, which God rained downe from Hea­ven Exod. 16. 15.for them; They said one to another (saith the Text) it is Mannah; or (as the Septuagint and Mon­tanus [Page 50] with others, render it, according to the Originall) [...] Man-Hua, Quid hoc? What is this? And is not this the language of some amongst us at this day, touching that Bread of life, which God daily raineth from Hea­ven for the feeding the soules of his people? These sa­cred Ordinances of his▪ his Word and Sacraments, Man-Hua, Quid hoc? What are th [...]se? Ordinances indeed, but they cannot have them in the way of an Ordinance (as they say) dispenced in a due Order, after such a manner as they would have, and therefore nothing worth: e­specially wanting some other Ordinances to attend and accompany them. A dangerous surfet (my Brethren.) Such was that of the Israelites, which they tooke of their Mannah: We can see nothing (say they) but this Numb. 11. 6. Mannah, this, we know not what. Why, what would they have? some other dish besides. They would have ver. 4. flesh to their Mannah. Who shall give us flesh to e [...]?] And without this, their Mannah was nothing worth, they were weary of it. A dangerous surfet; so that proved to them. God heard their prayers, gave them their desires, sent them in another dish, a second▪course dish▪ and that a dainty one, (Quailes) but they had bet­ter have been without it. I pray God the like Maladi [...] Inordinate lu­sting, though after things in their owne na­ture very desira­ble of dangerous consequence. ver. 33.amongst us, doe not meet with a like Remedy; the like sinne (I meane our inordinate lusting, understand i [...] rightly) do not meet with a like punishment. Certain­ly this surfetting of our Mannah (a disease which begins to grow too epidemicall) it can presage no good. For this cause it was, that the Carkases of so many of the Is­raelites fell in the wildernesse; In Memoriall whereof, they called the place where those Carkases were buried, Kibroth▪Hattaavah, Sepulchra concupisce [...]iae, The gr [...]es of lust. For (saith the Text) there they buried the people ver. 34. which fell a lusting: I will not, I dare not say, that for this cause so many Carkases are full [...] amongst us in this Kingdom at this day; I dare not write Kibroth▪Hattaa­vah upon the Sepulchers of any that have yet [...]llen in [Page 51] this unhappy quarrell, the ground whereof is said to be, not Reformation, but Selfe▪preservation, not the obtai­ning of what we never yet had, but the retaining of what God and the Law have invested us in, and posses­sed us of: But this I dare say, and this I must say, that the inordinate lusting of some amongst us, though after things in themselves very desirable; their inordinate lu­sting I say, when they shall so lust after what they want, and would have, as that in the meane time they sleight, if not forget, what ever they already have, as little or nothing worth, this may, nay it cannot but provoke the God of Heaven against them, and it may be, for their sakes against the Nation, causing him to with-hold from it, that good which otherwise he in­tended towards it. Herein let me use a ministeriall [...], an awefull [...]oldnesse: Give me leave to dis­charge my thoughts freely. My feares are (I wish they may prove Pannick and groundlesse feares) that this one sinne of unthankefullnesse (the commonnesse whereof I feare, begins to take away the sense of it) in [...]leighting▪ undervaluing, if not over-looking and forgetting the spirituall mercies which we have, will doe more in putting from us, then all our Prayers can in pulling to us, the mercies which we would have.

What great things God hath done▪ for th [...] Church al­ready. Ps. 80. 8. Isa 5. 1. What? [...]s all that God hath hitherto done for us no­thing, or as good as nothing? That he hath brought his Church amongst us, as a Vine out of Aegypt (give me leave to goe along with the Psalmist, running descant upon his words, Psal. 80. enterlacing there with some passages of the Prophet Isaies, Isa. 5.) A vine out of Ae­gypt (that Romish Aegypt.) Casting out the Heathen (those Romish Idolaters) and planting it, I, planting it in a very fruitfull Hill (a place plentifull and abun­dant.) Psal. 8. [...]. ver 9.That he hath made roome for it (inclining and inlarging the hearts of Princes and People to the recei­ving and imbracing of the Gospell, causing it to take root (to be established by a law) in so much as it filled the [Page 52] ver. 10. land, and the hils were covered with the shadow thereof (it became a Nationall Church) making the boughes thereof like the Cedars of God, the goodly Cedars (the Members thereof many of them Saints, and that glorious ones in their personall walkings. Thus planting it, that hee Isa. 5. 2.should fence it, making a hedge, a wall about it (fencing it by his owne gracious providence and protection.) Psal. 80. 13.Not suffering the wilde Boare out of the wood to waste it, nor the wilde beast of the field to devoure it (enemies fierce and potent to prevaile against it, though often assailing it.) Thus planting, thus fencing it, that he should build a Isa. 5. 2. Tower, and a wine-presse in it, (furnish it with all ne­cessaries for the Churches subsistence, and his peoples salvation,) What is all this nothing, or as good as no­thing? and all because there are as yet some stones in this Vineyard left ungathered out; or because there wants a Pruning-knife for the pruning and taking off of superfluous Branches, or some other Instruments or Im­plements of like nature, commodious and usefull for the Culture, and dressing of this noble Vine? What hath God not onely layed the foundation of his House amongst us, but raised up the walles thereof to such a conspi­cuous and envied height? And not only so, but furni­shed it with such store of necessary Temple-furniture, placing his Arke amongst us, (which alone maketh a Temple where ever it resteth, as the Kings personall Acts 7. 38.residence doth the Court) giving to us those [...], (as S. Stephen calleth them) those living, lively Oracles of his Law and Gospell: Speaking to us so plain­ly, so familiarly, so powerfully, as never to any Church, any Nation under Heaven more: In so much as we Deut. 4. 7.may herein say as Moses once of his Israel, What Na­tion is there, (or hath there beene) to which God hath come so nigh as he hath done to us? He hath placed his Arke amongst us, the Glory of a Church, the glory of Rom. 9. 4.a Nation. To whom pertained the glory, saith Paul▪ speaking of the Arke. Besides this he hath furnished [Page 53] this House of his with those necessary pieces, an Al­tar, a Laver, a Table; an Altar for Sacrifice, a Laver for Washing, a Table for Shew-bread, not unaptly re­presenting to us those great Ordinances of God, Prayer, and the Sacraments; Prayer offered up upon that Golden Altar, in and onely in the Name and mediation of Je­sus Christ. Sacraments; Baptisme, that [...] Tit 3. 5.(as S. Paul calleth it,) the Laver of Regene­ration; The Lords Supper, sh [...]wing and setting forth unto us that true Shew-bread, that Bread which came downe from Heaven, the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. All these we have, and I think it will be ac­knowledged at all hands, that we have them for sub­stance rightly dispenced and administred. And is all this nothing, [...]or as good as nothing, and all for want of some other usefull utensiles; Suppose a Beesome, a Sho­vel, Exod. 27. 3. [...] King. 7. 40, [...]0.a paire of Snuffers, (Temple furniture too.) A Bee­some to sweepe the Floore, a Shovel to cast out the Dust, or Ashes; Snuffers to toppe the Lights, to make them burne the cleare [...] ▪ all excellently shadowing out that usefull Ordinance of Christ, the Censures of the Church rightly dispensed; And what? for want of these, all nothing? What hath Jesus Christ brought his Fanne into this Floore, purging out so much Chaffe and Dr [...]sse of Antichristian Idolatry and Superstition, wherewith the face thereof was so wholly overspread and covered? fanning and dressing up so much Corne here? giving such liberty and efficacy to the Fa [...]e of his Word amongst us? and is all this nothing, or as good as nothing? and that because of some remainders of Chaffe in this Floore, or for want of a Wing to back and second the Fanne? Oh (my Bretheren) what unparalleld ingra­titude is this? How should it be but that such unthank­fullnesse Our unthank­fulnesse for Mercies recei­ved a dāgerou [...] presage.should even cause repentings in Heaven? moove God to repent, if not of what he hath done, yet of what he may have intended to doe. Surely, so would it worke with us; to see all our former kind­nesses [Page 54] sleigh [...]ed and forgotten, as nothing wo [...]h, and all, because they are not seconded with a continued suc­cession of new favours; Would it not make us at the least stay our hands for the future? Let our own hearts herein tell us, what we may expect and looke for from that God, who is in this kind every day so highly pro­voked. Which that we may prevent, withall, procu­ring further Grace and Favour from him towards this endeared Church of his, for the perfecting of the great and good worke which he hath begun in it, and the completing of it with what ever Ordinance or Orna­ment it yet wanteth; learne we to set a higher price upon what already we have. Learne we to cry Grace, Grace, to every stone in this Building; Not to the Top-stone Zach. 4 7.onely; As it is said of Zerubbabel, Zach. 4. He shall bring forth the Top-stone (o [...] Head-stone) thereof with shoutings, crying Grace, Grace unto it.] Thus hap­pily many amongst us would be ready to doe, could they see the Head-stone, the Top-stone brought forth, the Finiall of the House, the Pin cl [...] of the Temple set up, the worke of Reformation perfected, this they would entertaine with joyous Acclamations and shou­tings, crying Grace, Grace to it; But in the meane time, as for that which God hath already done, their Grace, Grace, ingraven upon every stone in this Building.hearts are not affected with it as they ought to be; As if Grace, Grace, were not ingraven as well upon the Foundation-stones as upon the Top stone. Whilest we rea [...]e it in the one, d [...]e not over-looke it in the other. Give we unto God the Glory of his abundant Grace in laying the Foundation-stones of so glo [...]i [...]s a Church amongst us, which, should our eyes never see more, yet deserves a thankfull gratulation from our hearts and tongues. So were the people of the Jewes affected, when they saw but the foundation of the Temple lay­ed. Ezra 3. 11. All the people shouted with a great shout, (saith the Text) praysing the Lord, because the foundation of the House of the Lord was layed, Ezra 3. And surely this did [Page 55] our Fore▪fathers, when they did but see the dawning of that light which is now brok [...] forth amongst us so gloriously, when they saw but the beginning of this Reformation. Let not us their children despise that day, as a day of small things. Had it beene so, yet were it not to be despised. [Who hath despised the day of small things?] Z [...]ch. 4. 10.but such is not this Day, the Day of the Gospell, the Day of salvation brought unto this Church, this Nation, by that first Reformation. A day not o [...] small, but of great and glorious things; So looke we upon it, so account, so acknowledge it; Give we unto God the Glory of his first Grace, this will be the most e [...]ectuall meanes to obtaine a second Grace. Would we obtaine what yet we want, learne to be thankefull for what we have. Thus I have onely broke the Bulke of these Directions; Time takes me off, I must shut downe the hatches for the present; That which remaines I shall put over to the next occasion.

CHrists Floore is his Church, his Church visible. This Floore he will purge; this Church hee will Reforme, and that throughly. This worke we trust he is about at this day, as in other of his Churches, so in this, whereof we are members. Taking this to be his Designe, Doe we what we may every of us for the furthering of it. That is the Exhor­tation which I insisted upon the last day, but was enfor­ced then to leave imperfect.

Ʋse. Doe what we may; But what shall we doe? In answer to this great and usefull question. I have begun to lay you downe some Directions. One I then gave you, and but one, which might serve as a preparative and intro­duction to the rest. Be we thankefull for what God hath al­ready done for us; thankfully acknowledging the Gra­ces and blessings already conferred upon this Church. Not to take notice of the Graces of God in a mans selfe, not to acknowledge them in others, is a fault, a sinne: [Page 57] much more in a Church, and that such a Church, where­in the graces of God are so conspicuous. But I spare to presse what then I insisted on. Onely, before I leave this Direction, give me leave to subjoyne a Caution to A Caution.it. I would be loath (if it might be) to give either Offence, or Advantage. Be we thankefull for what we have, but not so as to sit downe, and rest contented, as if we were already compleat and perfect. Not as though I had Doe not think [...] our selves per­fect. Phil. 3. 12. already attained, or were already perfect, (saith Paul of him­self,) Phil. 3.] So should Christians look upon themselves; so taking notice of the graces of God in themselves, as that withall they should take notice of their wants and imperfections. And so looke we upon the Church of God amongst us, as a Church, I a glorious Church, but not absolute, not perfect. To say or thinke of this Church that she wanteth nothing, were to make her too like to that Beggarly La [...]dicea▪ (as some have already done.) Thou sayest I am Rich, and have need of nothing, Rev. 3.] Never was there Church yet so Rich, that could say so Rev. 3. 17.in truth. Ephesus, Pergamus, Thyatird, famous Chur­ches in their times, yet the Spirit hath a Charge against every of them. [...]. I have something against thee; I have a few things against thee.] Philadelphia Rev. 2. 4. 14, 20though not charged with any downright Corruption, yet was she not free from her Imperfection, Thou hast a little strength, Rev. 3.] Now a little strength implies Rev. 3. 8. a great deale of weakenesse. What Church ever yet was, or ever will be free? The through purging of this Floore (as I tould you) is reserved for hereafter. Here indeed there are degrees of Church perfection▪ but they are all Comparative, none Positive, none Superlative, none Ab­solute. Church perfe­ction here, is but compara­tive.In the greatest perfection here, still there will be an allay and mixture of Imperfection. To think otherwise of this Church, were too great weaknesse; to speake otherwise of it, were too open flattery. To attribute so much to the wisedome of those first Re­formers, as that they should leave the Church every [Page 58] wayes perfect, is an honour, which if they were se [...]sible Rev. 22. 8.of, they would never owne, no more then the Angell would the divine honour, which S. John would have gi­ven to him by falling downe to worship him. That priviledge was Apostolicall, and it dyed with them, Gal. 2. [...].not to be capable of Addition, To have nothing added to them.] So perfect was their Doctrine, their Counsels. Not so the Counsels of others, specially where the Word hath left things more dubious and darke, not so cleare and evident, (as in the Case of Church-Order it seemeth to be.) Dreame we not then of a present perfection, but taking that for graunted, which cannot be denied, that there are Defects and Imperfections a­mongst us; let us not sit downe as satisfied and conten­ted under them, but doe what we may for the hea [...]ing▪ reforming of them. Though we may not forget those Phil 3. 13. things which are behind, (as Paul saith he did his own labours, and sufferings for Christ, viz. in respect of any resting upon them▪ or glorying in them.) Yet reach we forth (both our Hearts and Hands) to that which is be­fore.] This Caution being interposed now let the maine question run on. What shall we doe?

Direct. 2. Mourne over Imperfections. I answer (in the second place) taking notice of the Churches whether Imperfections, or Corruptions, lay them to heart, mourne over them, over Corruptions. So did the Lords faithfull ones over the personall corrup­tions Ezek. 9▪ 4.which they saw in Hi [...]rusalem, they mourned over them, Ezek. 9. So did our blessed Saviour over both Personall, and Church-Corruptions, in that City, Luk. 19. 41. When he behold the City, he wept over it, over Imperfe­ctions. So did the Chiefe of the Fathers, the Ancient men amongst the Jewes, which had seene the first House, the first Temple, and the Glory of it; when they saw Ezra. 3 12.the Foundation of the second House, they wept [...]ver i [...]. viz. over the defect and imperfection which they saw in it, because it came so f [...]r short of the former. Others at the same time shouted aloud for joy, they w [...]p [...] and [Page 59] there was ground for both; of Joy, in that the Founda­tion was layed; of Sorrow, in that it came so far short of the Patterne. Even with such a mixed Affection should we at this day looke upon the present state of the Church of God amongst us. Joying over the Foun­dations which are layed, yet Mourning over the defects and imperfections. Thus be we affected with what upon good grounds we apprehend to be amisse, that so our Hearts may worke towards a Reformation.

Direct. 3. Begin the work of Reformation at home. Which that we may promote and further, Begin it at Home. Take that as a third Direction, and a maine one. Would we have the Churches floore purged, let every one of us purge his own floore. For every man to sweepe be­fore his owne Doore, is the next way to make the street cleane. For every one to purge his own floore, is the next way to have the Churches floore purged. Home-Reformation is the first step, and a good step to Church-Reformation. Here begin we the worke, every one at home: Being (as it most nearely concernes us) most solicitous about this worke, Home-Reformation, the Reforming of our selves, and those belonging to us; It is our Saviours speech to those good women, which lamented and bewailed him going to his Passion. Daughters of Jerusalem, weepe not for me, but weepe for Luk. 23. 28. your selves, and for your children. Heare we the Church of England speaking in a like language to her Daugh­ters; Daughters▪ of England, Reforme not me, but Re­forme your selves and your children. Not but that private Christians may have an eye to publike Reformation, (So might those women doe what they did, Mourne and lament for their Lord and Master,) but the maine busi­nesse which they should be most intent about, is Home-Reformation. Weepe not for me, but for your selves, and for your children: that is, rather for your selves, and them, then for me? (as you heard it not long since rightly expounded.) So, Reforme not me, but your selves, and your children; Let your thoughts be more taken up [Page 60] with Home-Reformation; then Church-Reformation. A point not unseasonable for the times; wherein it is to be feared, least thoughts and speeches concerning the publick affaires of Church and State, being so frequent every where, should divert, and take of our hearts from some businesses, (I will not say of greater, but) of nearer concernement. Would we have this great worke prosper, begin we it at the right end. Begin we Reforming our selves. 2 Tim. 2. 21. the worke of Reformation at Home. Every of [...]s first be­ginning with our selves. This is S. Pauls method, 2▪ Tim. 2. 21. where having spoken of that mixture, which is, or may be found in the visible Church, that House, wherein there are vessels of Gold and Silver, and ver. 22. Wood and Earth; He presently subjoynes, If any man purge himselfe, &c.] Intimating, that this should be every mans chiefe care; not so much the purging of the Church, as the purging of himselfe. Here begin Iam. 4 8.we at our own hearts and hands, purging both. Purge your hands yee sinners, and purifie your hearts yee double­minded, James 4. What ever chaffe we find in these floores (as some we shall find) purge it out. What ever we find here amisse, in our hearts or lives, set upon the Reformation of it.

Our Fanilies. Next to our own hearts and lives, purge we our Fa­milies. I speake it to those whom God hath made Go­vernours of Families, Parents, Masters. Families, they are, or ought to be, as so many Churches; (The Church Philem 2▪ that is in thine House, saith Paul to Philemon:) Every one a floore; and in these floores God hath ap­pointed the Governours to be the f [...]nners; Let them see to the through▪purging, reforming of them. So Gen. 17. last.did Abraham, the Father of the Faithfull, Gen. 17. He Circumciseth himselfe first, and all that were in his house. So did Joshua, going about to reforme the people, he be­gins at home, resolves upon a Reformation of his owne Iosh. 24. 15. House, I and my House will serve the Lord. So did David, resolving upon a Nationall Reformation, a [Page 61] through purging of the floore of his Kingdom [...], J will ear­ly Psal. 101. 7. destroy all the wicked of the Land; he begins first with his owne House, resolving, that what ever scandalous person there was in his Court, he would either reforme him or cashiere him. He that worketh deceit, shall not ver. 8. dwell in my house; he that telleth lyes, shall not tarry in my sight. Like course take we. For the bringing on of publike, begin with a private Reformation. Purging our owne Floores first. It is the Churches complaint a­gainst Cant. 1. 6.the sonnes of her Mother, Cant. 1. 6. That they had made her a keeper of other vineyards, but her owne vineyard she had not kept. Her naturall corruption, which was bred and born with her (as Junius interprets the place) that made her very solicitous about things, which be­longed not to her office and calling, whilest in the mean time she neglected her duty in things of nearer con­cernement, things which concerned her selfe. This will the corruption of our nature doe, (if not looked to) it will make us so busie, and pragmaticall about the Re­forming of others, the Persons of others, the callings of others (a thing which commeth not within the verge and compasse of our callings to doe) as that in the meane time we shall neglect our owne hearts, lives, families▪ which as they most nearly concerne us, so we should be most solicitous about. First, Purging our owne floors. Which having done; then, as for the purging of the Churches floore, Earnestly pray for it; Quietly wait for it; humbly submit to it. Three Directions more, wher­in (as I take it) lyeth the maine of the private Christi­ans duty, which is the marke that I aime at. Touch up­on each, as briefly as I may.

Direct. 4. Seeke Reforma­tion by prayer and supplicati­ons. In the fourth place then, Earnestly pray for this Refor­mation. This private Christians may doe, ought to do; Helpe the Fanne of Jesus Christ with the winde of their pray­ers, Contributing their Requests and Supplications to this good worke. Supplications, and that both to God and man.

[Page 62] 1 1. To God in the first place. In every thing (saith To God. Phil. 4. 6. Paul) let your Requests be made known unto God. How? By prayer and supplications with thankesgiving. Let it be so here. As many of us as desire a through-Reformation of what is amisse amongst us, let us make our Requests knowne unto God by daily and earnest Prayers and Sup­plications, but with Thankesgiving. Let not that be for­gotten. Blessing God for what he hath already done in purging this Floore of his, beg it from him that he would goe on to perfect the worke. To that end rai­sing, and stirring up meet instruments for the effecting of it. It is our Saviours direction to his Disciples, Mat. Mat 9 last.9. Pray yee the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth ( [...], thrust forth) faithfull labourers into his har­vest. This doe we in this case, pray we the Lord and Owner of this Floore, that he would send forth, thrust forth faithfull Fanners into this his Floore. Faithfull fan­ners, Jer. 15. 9.such as may put a true and precise difference be­twixt the precious and the vile, the Chaffe and the wheate; not casting out any of the one, not retaining any of the other; In which two things (as in opening of the clause fore-going I shewed you) consisteth the fidelity of a Fanner. Faithfull Fanners, such as may doe the Jer. 48. 10.worke of the Lord, not negligently, not deceitfully, but with all their might, all their strength, every wayes approving themselves to their Lord and Master in doing his worke according to his owne mind and will. Such Fanners beg we from the Owner of this Floore. Withall imploring his direction, his assistance for them, that he would both guide, and blesse the Fanne in their hands, making their endeavours effectuall for the through purging of this Floore of his.

2 2. Thus seeking it from God, seeke we it also from To Men. men, those into whose hands Jesus Christ, either hath or shall put this Fanne of his; These I meane▪ to whom he hath committed a lawfull Power and Authority, (whether supreame (viz. under himselfe) or subor­dinate) [Page 63] over this Floore, this Church of his, for the or­dering of it. Beg we it from them that they would set the Fanne a work, using all lawfull, warrantable waies and means, both for the discovering and casting out of what ever remainders of Chaffe there are to be found in this Floore. Thus earnestly pray we for this Reformation. Which doing, then

Direct. 5. Quietly wait for it. Lam. 3. 2 [...]. In the next place, Quietly wait for it. A good thing so to doe in all straits and difficulties. It is good (saith the Church) that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. This doe we in this case, a case wherein the worke happily may meet with some unexpected difficulties, sticking in the birth (as now a long time it hath done) not comming off, either so easily or speedily, as it may be we made account of; in this case let us wait and quietly wait: waiting for the Law of our God, as the Prophet Isaiah saith the Iles (the Isa. 4 [...]. 4. Gentiles) should doe. The Iles shall wait for his law, Isa. 4 [...]. i. e. for the Doctrine of Jesus Christ. This let us of this Iland doe. Christ being now (as we hope) about that great worke, which the Prophet there speaketh of, in the words immediately fore-going, setting Judg­ment ver. 4. in the Earth, that is (as the Geneva note glosseth upon it) setting all things in good order in his Church (for such is Christs way sometimes to bring Order out of confusion) O [...]let us now wait for his law, even for what ever it is that he shall reveale unto us out of his word to be according to his will, for the ordering and regul [...]ting of this Church of his. This wait we for, and quietly wait for it. Quietly, not Precipitating; Quietly, not Anticipating the worke.

1. Not Precipitating, not overhastening of it. Over­ [...]asty births are seldome long lived, never perfect. Be we 1 Not precipita­ting it. Gen▪ 18. 10, 14 con [...]ent (as [...]turall mothers are) to tarry the time, the appointed [...] for this Birth, which we hope the Church [...] in her wo [...]be; God [...] [...] (I meane) who a [...] [...]e [...] [...] downe a time, a season for all other [Page 64] Eccl. 3. 1. things, a time for every purpose under the Sunne, times for us to observe; So he hath set downe a time, a time with himselfe for the effecting of this worke. The Apostle writing to his Hebrewes, he tels them of a [...], Heb▪ 9. 10.a time of Reformation, a period untill which those [...] (as he there calleth them) those car­nall, legall ordinances and Constitutions were to continue. Surely, as that first, so all successive Reformations under the Gospell, they have all of them their times, their pe­riods set downe, and appointed by God. Be we con­tented Isa. 28. 16.to tarry that time, not making haste. He that be­leeveth will not make haste, so make haste, as to use any unlawfull or unwarrantable wayes and meanes for the compassing of his desires and hopes. So indeed did Ja­cob Gen. 27.make haste, thinking to go the next way to get the blessing, but he had better have gone further about, and have tarried Gods time for it. Take heed of Precipita­ting the worke.

2 2. And (in the second place) take heed of Anticipa­ting Not Anticipa­ting it by ta­king the Fanne out of the hand of Christ himselfe. it, viz. by taking the Fanne out of the hand of Christ himselfe, or out of their hands into which hee hath put it.

1. Out of the hand of Christ himselfe. This did th [...]se franticke Germane Anabaptists of the last age attempt to do. Impatient to tarry Christs leisure for the through purging of his Floore, they would set upon the worke, to purge, not the Church only, but the world. And how would they doe it? Not by the Word, but by the Sword; therewith attempting (for that was their pro­fessed designe) to cut-off and destroy all the wicked from off the Earth. Here, if I listed to enter the Listes with mad-men, I should not need to goe out of the Text for weapons. He hath his Fanne in his hand, and hee will throughly purge his Floore. The through purging of the Church (much more of the world) is Christs owne worke, and a worke▪ which he will do; but when? Not here, but hereafter. In the meane time our Rule [Page 65] is, and theirs should have been; that direction of the Mat. 13. [...]9, 30. Husbandmans to his servants touching the Wheat and the Tares, Let them both grow together untill the harvest, least whilest yee pluck up the Tares, ye root out also the wheat with them. But I forbeare to presse this, [...]oping that there is none here present, or belonging to this place, touched with this frenzy.

His Officers, which are 2. Beware of taking the Fanne out of the hand of Jesus Christ, or else out of their hands into which he hath put it. There is a two-fold Government that Jesus Christ exerciseth upon earth. The one inward and invi­sible, viz. in the hearts of men; the other outward and visible in his Church. Now the former of these he ex­erciseth immediately, by his Spirit; the latter mediate­ly, by Instruments, by men. And thus he purgeth his Church here, not immediately, but mediately: (even as the Husbandman doth his Floore, which he purgeth, not by himself, but by his servants, into whose hands he puts the Fanne) delegating and appointing some in e­very Church to be the ordinary instruments of publick Reformation.

Who these are I have glaunced at already; take it now a little more fully and distinctly. They must be publike persons. Publike workes call for publike Instru­ments. Publike persons are of two sorts, Civill, Eccle­siasticall, Magistrates, Ministers. Magistrates, Ministers; And upon their shoulders in an ordinary way, doth this worke lye. So it was in the building, re-building of the Temple. The Ezr. 3. 2.chiefe undertakers in that worke, were Zerub [...]abel and Jeshua; Zerub [...]abel the chiefe-Prince with the Elders, the chiefe of the people, as you have it explained, Ezr. Cap. 3. 2. Cap. 5. 2.6. 14. Jeshua the chief-Priest with his Brethren, the o­ther Priests and Levites and Prophets; all joyning hands in the worke. The Prophets exciting and encouraging the Elders, Ezr. 6. 14. The Elders builded, and they pros­pered Cap. 6. 14. through the Prophecie of Haggai and Zachariah. The Elders appointing, and the Priests directing the Le­vites [Page 66] to set forward the worke of the house. Thus was the Cap. 6. 14. Cap 3. 8, 9. Temple builded; and by the same hands ought it to be purged. So was it in the dayes of Hezekiah, Josiah, both which intending a restoring of Religion then de­cayed and corrupted, they summon the Priests and the Levites, and set them a worke to purge and sanctifie the 2 Chro. 29. 4, 5 house of the Lord. So you have it, 2 Chron. 29. Heze­kiah brought in the Priests and the Levites, &c. And said unto them; Heare me ye Levites, and sanctifie the house of the Lord God of your Fathers, and carry forth the fil [...]hines out of the holy place. Josiah the like. He commanded Hil­kiah the high▪ Priest, and the other Priests to bring forth out of the Temple of the Lord all the vessels that were made for The Fan taken out of their hands byBaal, &c. 2 King. 23. 4. See here by whom it is that the House of God, the Temple is to be purged, viz. Ma­gistrates, Ministers. Into their hands hath Christ put this Fanne, having (in an ordinary way) committed the Power and Authority of Church-Reformation unto them. Beware then how we take the Fanne out of their hands. Which may be done two wayes, by rash censuring, by unwarrantable reforming. Take we heed of each.

I First of rash and unadvised censuring, passing rash and Rash censuring.harsh, and peremptory censures upon things dubious and doubtfull. Surely, such (at least) are some of the supposed Imperfections and Corruptions in this Church; not yet fully cleared up to be such. Certainly it must not (I thinke it will not) be denied, but that the lightest and uppermost of the Chaffe was fanned out in the first-Reformation; that which yet▪ remaines being most of it not so discernable to every eye. Thence are those differences in judgement amongst us, betwixt men both pious and learned, judicious and con [...]eien [...]ious. In this case then the duty of private Christians is, rather modestly to suspend their censures, then by a peremp­tory passing and venting of them, to wound the reputa­tions of those who (happily upon as good; or better [Page 67] grounds) are otherwise minded then themselves. Lea­ving things in question, and putting them over to a due discussion and Tryall; not condemning them before they Ioh. 7. 51. be heard, which (as Nicodemus saith) is against the Law; the Law of God, Nature, Nations: Not taking the Fanne, the Power of censuring and sentencing out of their hands, whom God hath betrusted it with. Un­der the Law you know who it was, that was to give sentence in a case of suspicious leprosie: viz. Aaron and his sonnes. This was the Priests office to doe, as Lev▪ 13. Aynsvvorth Ann. Lev. 13 3.you may see it set forth at large, Levit. 13. Not but that all others might looke on the sore (as the Hebrew Doctors tell us) and judge of it too in a private way, according as they thought; but to pronounce the per­son cleane or uncleane, that belonged to the Priests of­fice, Deut. 21. [...].as most other controversies of like nature did. By their word shall every controversie be tryed; so you have it, Deut. 21. 5. tryed and determined by their word, that Eze. 44 23, 24.is, Gods word in their mouth, So the Prophet Ezekiell explaines it, Ezek. 44. where speaking of the Priests and their office in discerning and judging betwixt the cleane and uncleane, &c. he shewes by what Rule they should proceed in deciding and determining cases of ver. 24.that nature. In controversie they shall stand in judgement, and they shall judge it according to my judgements. Marke it. This was that which they were to doe: Judge of things, not according to their owne, but Gods judge­ments, not according to their fancies or wils, opinions or affections, but according to the Rules and directions Act. 23. 3.in the word. Even as the Judge sitteth to judge accor­ding to the Law; declaring not his owne mind. but the mind of the Law. Such was the judgement of the Priest in those cases▪ not authoritative, but declarative. They shall shew thee the sentence of judgement, Deut. 17. Deut. 17. 9. ver. 11.9. shew it, viz. according to the sentence of the law, which they shall teach thee: So you have it explained, ver. 11. of that Chapter. In cases of like nature under the Gos­pell, [Page 68] I meane in points of controversie in or about the Religion of God (for in other cases we agree to that of Luk. 12. 14. Mal. [...]7.our [...]aviour, Who made me a Judge?) surely here the law should be required at the Priests mouth: viz. the law of God, according to which they are to give sentence in points dubious, and controversall, in or about his wor­ship and service. Let none take the Fanne out of their hands, their mouthes, by rash and unadvised cen­suring.

2 Ʋnwarrantable Reforming▪Nor yet (in the second place) by preposterous and un­warrantable Reforming. Such I call that which is under­taken by private hands without publike warrant. An unwarrantable undertaking. A ruled case, Private per­sons in an ordinary way, may not attempt or undertake the worke of publike Reformation, the reforming of what they apprehend to be amisse, whether in Church or State; no, though the errours, corruptions and miscar­riages therein were never so palpable. When our bles­sed Saviour under-tooke that worke of purging the Tem­ple, the Jewes looking upon him as a private person (for they knew no other) they demand of him what Ioh. 2. 18. signe he could shew for what he did. What signe shewest thou unto us, seeing thou dost these things? This they did Calv. ad. lo [...]um(saith M^r. Calvin) not without some ground and rea­son; in as much as it is neither meet, nor lawfull for private persons, every one, or any one, if he see ought amisse in the house of God, presently to set upon the reforming of it. Damnare quidem corruptelas omnibus liberumest. Corruptions (where they are apparently such) every one may (in a private way) condemne them, but not execute them. This is a worke appro­priated to those which have authority to doe it. We reade of diverse Reformations in Scripture, but still we shall finde them acted by publike hands. The gol­den Exod. 32 20. Calfe was burnt and ground to powder, Exod. 32. The Brazen Serpent (that famous relique) being abused to [...] Kin. 18. 4.Idolatry was broken in peeces, 2 King. 18. The Grove [Page 69] sculptile luci, that Image of the Grove set up by Ma­nasses 2 King. 23. 6.in the Temple, 2 King. 21. 7.) with other I do­la [...]rous implements, they were broke, and burnt, and stampt to pouder, 2 King. 23. But by whom was this done? by Moses, Hezekiah, Josiah. As for private In public [...] ad­ministratione fas non est quicquid mu­tare sine certâ vocatione ac mandato Dei. Calv. in Ioh. 2. 18. Si ad corrup­telas tollendas privatus ho­mo manum admovet, te­meritatis ar­guetu [...]. Ibid.persons, if they will attempt workes of this nature, they must either shew a signe, a speciall warrant from God for what they doe, or else they cannot be excused from unwarrantable rashnesse. So that great Master of Reformation there censures it. I beseech you let this be taken notice of, which I presse and inculcate the ra­ther, because I apprehend that there is no one thing, that will proove more disadvantagious and prejudiciall to that which is so much desired, a publick and happy Reformation, then this preposterous and inordinate zeale, in snatching the Fanne or Whip out of the hand of Christ; which in some sense they may be said to doe, who take it out of the hands of his Servants, his Officers, those to whom in an ordinary way he hath commited the authority and charge of purging his Floore, his Tem­ple, Reforming his Church. Here is the fifth Di­rection.

Direct. 6. Humbly submit to it. A sixth and last is yet behind. Earnestly praying, qui­etly waiting for this Reformation, then (if ever God give us to see it,) humbly submit to it. I, though it should not be every way according to our own minds, agree­able to the modell which we have moulded and fra­med to our selves. So did the Churches to the Determi­nations and decisions of that first Councell or Synod, the Act. 15.Councell at Jerusalem. Notwithstanding that the Coun­cell had imposed some burdens upon them; (so they call ver. 28.them) burdens, not to their Consciences, (for such they were not) but in respect of some restraint put upon their liberty by them, as viz. The absteyning from meats of­fered ver. 29. to I dols▪ from blood, &c. things in themselves of an indifferent nature, and so lawfull for them to doe, yet the Councell apprehending and conceiving them neces­sary, [Page 70] (necessary, not simply and absolutely▪ but respectively pro tempore, for that time; not in themselves, in their own nature, but extrinsically, and accidentally necessary, viz. Calv. ad lo­ [...]um.for the preserving and maintaining of Peace and Ʋnitie in the Church, (as Calvin well explaines it.) it enjoynes ver. 31.them, and the Councell enjoyning, the Churches submit, and that both humbly and joyfully. Surely even such a submission ought Christians to yeald to the determina­tions of lawfull Authority in things not contrariant, but agreeable to the Rules of the word, either to the parti­cular and expresse rules and directions therein contey­ned, 1 Cor. 14. last. 2 Cor 108. chap 13. 10.or else to those generall Rules of Decencie, Order, Edification, the three maine points of the Churches com­passe, according to which she is to steare her course▪ in the ordering of all such Church affaires, as are not expresly and distinctly stated and regulated in the word; of which nature no question some will be found. In all these, God and his Church expects a humble submission from the hands of all private Christians. The Law was expresse under the Law. In matters of controversie which could not easily be decided, the people were to repaire to the Priest and the Judge, and to their Order they were to stand. So you have it expressely, Deut. 17. Deut. 17. ver. 8. 9, 10, 11. If there arise a matter too hard for thee in Judgement, &c. Thou shalt come to the Priests, the Levites, and to the Judge, (the Judge for the time being, who was to ra [...]ifie the sentence of the Priest,) and enquire, and they shall show thee the sentence of Judgement. This the Priest and the Judge were to doe, Ex Offi [...]io. And (marke what fol­lowes,) Thou shalt doe according to the sentence which they shall shew thee, and thou shalt observe to doe according to all that they informe thee; viz. according to the sentence of the Law; (as you have it, vers. 11.) that is, the Law of God, which was to be their Rule. Now surely, however that Law, being Judiciall, was (as touching the obli­gation of it) Temporarie, yet the equity and Moralitie of it is perpetuall. In cases controversall about the Religion, [Page 71] Worship and Service of God, the people ought to make their addresses to the Priest and the Judge, Ministers and Magistrates, desiring and expecting their deci­sions, their determinations, and to that sentence of theirs, (being (as I said) consonant and agreeable to the Word, viz. to the particular or generall Rules of it,) they ought quietly and humbly to submit. So the Apostle presseth it in that knowne place, Heb▪ 13. Obey them th [...] have the Rule over you, ( [...], Ductori [...]us, Pr [...] sitis, your Heb. 13 17. Leaders, your Rulers, be they Civill or Ecclesiasticall, (though he speake there chiefely of the latter) And submit your selves. [...], Obey and Sub­mit, viz. in Believing and practising what they teach and require, agreeable to the Word of God, which still must be their Rule and ours.

Conclusion. Time taketh me off, I must strike sayle. Put we now these directions together, and reduce them to practise. Would we have the Floore of Jesus Christ amongst us purged, and throughly-purged, the Church of God bles­sed with a happy Reformation of what is amisse amongst us; Be we thankefull for what we have; Mourne over what we want: Begin the worke of Reformation at home, at our own Hearts, Lives, Families; which having done, then earnestly pray for, quietly wait [...] for such a Reforma­tion as may be after Gods own Heart and Mind; which he shall please to tender unto us, thankefully receive it, humbly submit to it. So doing, doubt we not but God will doe his own worke in his owne time. To this end it is Ioh. 15. 1. Isa. 53, 1 [...].that God the great Husbandman hath put the Fanne into the hand of this his righteous Servant, the Lord Christ, that he should purge his Floore. And this he will doe, and that faithfully, throughly. He will throughly purge his Floore. Our hopes are, that he is now about to doe it, and that he will speedily doe it. Whether so, or no, we are assured he will doe it. Whether this Floore, this par­ticular Church in this Kingdome or no, we have no as­surance, though some comfortable hopes; but his [Page 72] Floore, his Church, his Church visible upon Earth, he will purge; washing off those spots and freckles from the face of it, which doe now any wayes deforme it; beautifying and adorning it with all requisite orna­ments and habiliments, which may make it lovely in his eyes, and the eyes of his Saints; so dressing and pre­paring Rev. 21. 2.it as a Bride adorned for her Husband. This the Lord Jesus, the Head of the Church, in his own time will doe; And for this let all of us waite and pray.